A Certain Sapient Virus
by Anti-Atom
Summary: Academy City has seen a lot; everything from espers to magicians, but nothing could have prepared it for what had come to reside within the city, much like nothing could have prepared New York for the virus. Beware, espers and magicians alike, for the realm of science has one final creature that tops all humanity; BLACKLIGHT. Beware Academy City, for BLACKLIGHT has come.
1. Chapter 1

_**IMPORTANT NOTICE; PLEASE READ: This story is meant to have a mystery vibe to it, and should leave the reader with questions at certain points. If you feel confused about something, don't worry. **__**It's most likely intentional.**__** Every major plot point or issue will be explained in the story, or in the Explanations/Clarifications section at the bottom of each chapter. If you are still confused on something, feel free to leave a comment and I will attempt to clarify! Thank you, and enjoy! **_

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN [Prototype], A Certain Magical Index, OR A Certain Scientific Railgun! THEY EACH BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS!**

**Chapter 1**

**Don't talk to Strangers**

It was a clear, calm night in Academy City, Four thugs strolled along the empty sidewalk, throwing crude jokes as they continued their walk along the usually empty sidewalk. Today however, the sidewalk had one unwelcome visitor.

One of the men looked up just in time no notice a lone figure calmly walking toward them. The figure, hands in pockets, seemed ignorant to the thugs' presence. The thug smiled, knowing that in a city like this, they were bound to run into a rich boy once in a while. Perhaps today would be the lucky day.

"Hey fellas, take a look at this."

Three heads snapped up in attention, focusing on the approaching figure. Three smiles followed soon after.

With fluid movements, the four quickly produced their signature weapons. Three of them pulled out small, electrically charged knives, while the fourth, a young lad, close to 16, formed a small ball of fire in the palm of his hand. He quickly extinguished it, concealing his esper powers from the stranger.

Now that he was closer, the four could make out details. He seemed to be a teenager, wearing brown boots and blue jeans, with a thick, unzipped black vest, that covered a thin grey sweatshirt. The hood was pulled back, revealing a young, pale face, and short, messy silver hair. The most prominent features however were the eyes. They were a cold grey color, which could best be described as…disturbing.

"A bit late to be walking around alone, huh, lad?"

The pale teen said nothing and continued on. The man who spoke up frowned. He refused to be ignored. Especially by some teenager. He reached out with his left hand and grabbed the teen by his right shoulder.

"Don't ignore your betters, _boy._ You know, I was thinking of just taking whatever money you have and walking away, but your attitude is giving me second thoughts about the whole letting you go part," said the thug.

Still no response from the teen. The man narrowed his eyes. His patience with this brat was wearing thin.

"Didn't anyone tell you to respect your elders, you little brat? When a man talks to you, you respond. When a man _with a knife_ talks to you, you get on your knees, and you hand over whatever the hell he asks for."

Slowly, the teens raised his head, and the man found himself staring into a pair of eyes that shouldn't belong to a teenage boy. He saw these types of eyes in cold-blooded killers. However, before he could rethink his actions, the teenager spoke.

"I try to make a habit out of not talking to my food."

If he had time, the man would have been surprised at the depth of the voice. However, before he could register what was going on, he felt excruciating pain shoot through his stomach. He looked down, attempting to find the source of the feeling, only to see the hand of the teen _embedded in his stomach._

The other three thugs barely had time to gasp, before tentacles erupted from the teen's chest, engulfing their wounded comrade, and seemingly absorbing him into the teen. The spectacle was accompanied by the grotesque sound of bones breaking, flesh being torn, and the wet groans of their partner.

They took several steps back, attempting to scream, but unable to find their voices. One moment, the leader of their little gang was threatening the teen, and the next he was just..._gone._

As soon as the man was absorbed, his silver-haired killer looked up at the three remaining men. They could now clearly see an insatiable hunger in his eyes. It was the look of a wild predator.

The teen smiled as he took a step forward. The smile held no warmth, no compassion, no happiness. It was the smile of a killer who had cornered his prey, and was about to make the kill.

He took another step forward, and another, and another. All the while, the remaining backed away, their jaws opening and closing, attempting to formulate words, but failing miserably. Eventually, one of them tripped.

That was the trigger.

The thugs regained some composure, and began shouting and cursing at the teen.

A few seconds passed, then, realizing that shouting would do little good, the three quickly turned around, attempting to put as much distance between them, and the _thing_ as possible. As they ran, the teen behind them continued to smile. A hopeless attempt at escape was one of the reactions he favored most. It was almost as good as futile resistance. Almost.

With a leap that no living creature could have possibly matched, he launched himself into the air, landing a few feet in front of his prey, blocking their path.

With his back turned to them, the three thugs could clearly see a red tribal symbol on the back of his vest that resembled a pair of wings. It also seemed to give of a faint red glow,

Without warning, black spikes erupted from the teen's back, quickly impaling two of the three remaining men. Tentacles that seemed to materialize from the spikes engulfed and began absorbing the two writhing men. Within a few seconds, the squirming tentacles retracted, leaving no evidence that the two thugs ever existed. The spikes also retracted into the teen's back. The clothing on his back seemed to bubble and squirm around until it had assumed its original shape.

The last remaining thug, a teenage esper with the ability to control fire, stumbled backwards, attempting to hold down his dinner. As he stumbled backwards, the silver-haired teen slowly turned toward him. The ruthless smile on his face was gone, replaced by an emotionless glare, which probably could have intimidated any living Level 5 esper.

The fire-based esper quickly raised his hand. "I-i-if you take one more step, I-I-I'll call the police," he said, raising his phone up to his ear.

The silver-haired teenager cocked his head to the side, a ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

"That's fine. Nobody will get that call though."

The fire esper blinked in surprise. "Wh-what?" he stammered. "Why not?"

Suddenly, the standing teen just _vanished_. No 'poof', no noise, nothing. He just vanished. Then, without warning, the esper felt a cold grip around his neck.

"Because dead men can't talk."

The esper didn't have time to scream.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**The Espers: So if you haven't seen A Certain Magical Index or A Certain Scientific Railgun, then you probably don't know what espers are. Espers are basically people who have been given special powers that are grounded in science (not magical, spiritual, etc.). These espers are not unlike the Conduits from inFAMOUS, inFAMOUS 2, and inFAMOUS Second Son. These espers only exist in Academy City as far as I know.**

**The Reactions: The reason I didn't have any of the thugs use their weapons or abilities is because I wanted to show how utterly shocked they were. When one is in a state of severe shock, they tend to do things without thinking. For example, if you had a knife, and something from your worst nightmare walks up to you, you'll probably be in shock for some time before you realize you have a weapon. Also, people don't attack something when they believe it will lead to their imminent death. The thugs didn't attack because they didn't think they were a match for our lovely OC here. Obviously, they weren't XD.**

**The Tribal Symbol: If you have trouble picturing the symbol on the teen's (his name will be revealed later, just so you all know) back, it's the same symbol as on Alex Mercer's back.**

**(A/N) So this is the first chapter of the crossover, and I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave suggestions, constructive criticism, or your thoughts about my work. It is always appreciated ****. Also, at the end of every chapter, if there is something that I feel might need to be more clearly explained, I will have an Explanations/Clarifications sections down at the bottom of the chapter. This is Anti-Atom signing of. Laters!**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN [Prototype], A Certain Magical Index, OR A Certain Scientific Railgun! THEY EACH BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS!**

**Chapter 2**

**A Killer's Killer**

The sun, when you look at it up close, is a raging ball of gas with temperatures that could kill a human in milliseconds. The sun only looks safe from a distance. Just like a certain silver-haired teenager.

Said silver haired-teen was currently walking toward a café. The café had a television, and he currently wanted information. His usual methods would attract extensive unwanted attention if someone actually saw him. People don't just grow tentacles and rip their enemies to pieces in order to consume them. Heck, not even espers had that kind of power.

That's why he was resorting to such…_humane_ methods. Even though nothing but his appearance could be compared to a human. Looks could be deceiving. Often times, to a deadly extent.

His usual café was in sight. The sign out front read OPEN, and he could see people going through their morning routines before going to work.

As he walked in through the double doors, a few people threw glances at him. Their expressions told him everything; they were intimidated. And yet, they were completely ignorant to his true nature, which was fine by him.

He turned his head slightly just in time to see a girl turn around.

Her face immediately brightened up when she saw him, and he heard here say his name.

"Siren!"

Siren. Siren Mercer. That was his name, and yet, a small part of him seemed to think that that was wrong. That he had another name.

He shook his head slightly to clear it, before looking back up.

The girl making her way toward him was a petite girl with short, light brown hair, and bangs covering the majority of her forehead, leaving only the left side of her forehead exposed. She wore a uniform that was similar in form to the Tokiwadai school uniform, the only real difference being that this one was a plain white.

Her warm, light brown eyes held a kindness he knew he didn't deserve. Only one other person had ever shown him such kindness. However, he simply couldn't get a clear image of that person. Every memory was foggy. All he had on that person, was a first name; Dana.

Perhaps it was because of these two individuals that he even understood and was able to apply concepts such as 'mercy' or 'kindness'. He knew for a fact that if he hadn't met this Dana person, he would be little more than an emotionless killing machine, incapable of sparing even the most harmless of creatures. He may have been a killer, but the people of this city who died by his hand thus far were mostly back alley thugs. And yet here he was, in the midst of a group of humans, one of which seemed delighted to see him. Her appearance had always confused him. She looked like a carbon copy of one of the city's few Level 5s, Misaka Mikoto. But the two couldn't have been the same person. He had memories of Mikoto. The memories, of course, were not acquired through an actual meeting with her. His memories of her existed only because he had taken them from others. And even so, they were only memories of her on television, or from far away. Nothing even came close to qualifying as personal.

Throughout his life, his body had evolved to give him several more ocular abilities than before. Siren had evolved to be able to better judge a living creature through his sense of sight alone, and thus, possessed several visual abilities, each with its own purpose. He had something similar to x-ray vision, but it was slightly modified. This vision allowed him to detect electricity, and he had developed many uses for it over time, but its most basic function had allowed him to take a look into the inner workings of the girl in front of him several times is the past. And as far as he knew, this girl didn't posses _nearly_ enough electric current to be the master of electricity that Mikoto was.

He knew that the possibility of her being Mikoto's twin existed, but the memories he had suggested otherwise, claiming that Mikoto had no siblings.

"Hello Mikoro." Yes, even their _names_ were practically identical. He had already deduced that this was far beyond coincidence. "How is your morning coming along?" he inquired.

Mikoro smiled at him. "As good as mornings get for me! Clear skies, awesome weather, and you're here, and you seem to be in a good mood too!"

This girl could often confuse him with her views on "happiness." What did his mood matter to her? Besides, usually his expression was rather neutral. how she was able to decipher his mood, _accurately_ no less, was beyond him.

"So why are you here?" She inquired.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just wanted to get the local newsfeed on the recent murderers."

Mikoro frowned at him. "What's with you and those murderers? Lately, they're all you care about."

It was true. He _had_ dedicated a lot of time to researching the murderers. Or rather, just one of them. The other "murderer" was Siren himself_._

"I want to major in criminology when I hit college. Might as well learn while I can."

He knew it was a weak excuse. Mikoro saw right through it, but seemed to let it fly. She seemed to have learned early on, despite only knowing him for a few weeks, that Siren had a habit of keeping secrets and being stubborn.

She sighed, shaking her head in disapproval. "I'm going to buy a drink, you want anything? It'll be on me."

"No thanks." He didn't need water, or any form of liquid, to survive.

Mikoro shrugged, turned on her heels, and walked over to the counter as Siren turned around to gaze at the television.

Currently, there was a commercial break, and nothing useful turned up for almost a minute. Then the news came back on. A friendly looking, brown eyed, blond woman was sitting behind a desk with an enlarged photo of a pool of blood hovering next to her.

"Good morning Academy City! Last night, authorities located several more victims that were attacked by the second murderer," the 'second murderer' was the name the media had assigned to Siren. "DNA testing confirmed that four people died, most likely last night. Three Level 0s and a single Level 1 fire esper by the name of Hibiki Kenji. The killer, whose identity has yet to be confirmed, was not found in the area, but authorities say there's no cause for concern. They will track down these lunatics and put them where they belong: behind bars!"

Damn. Today's "breaking story" was about him, and not the other murderer. Currently, none of his memories gave him the slightest clue as to the identity of the first killer, but that changed nothing. Nothing would protect that killer. Not from him.

His reasons for targeting the killer were fairly simple. One: the killer would know of back alley streets, hideouts, and more. All that information in one mind would prove useful to Siren. Two: the killer seemed to have an obsession with killing older females. All of his victims were women over the age of 60. This was starting to get annoying, and Siren planned on putting a stop to it. He was, by no means, a hero. Hell, that killer was probably a saint compared to Siren, especially after the events at New York, which, despite feeling like they transpired years ago, were as recent as 12 months ago. But New York was in the past, it didn't matter now. He was in Japan now, hiding out in Academy city. Blackwatch was not in Japan. He could go about this city as he pleased, without worry that Blackwatch would attempt to drop a nuclear bomb on his head, even if it meant sacrificing the lives of millions of people.

Not that the bomb would kill him. Oh no, not him. He was designed to be _better._ Better than any of the Infected, better than Blackwatch, better than PARIAH.

He shook his head, attempting to dislodge the thoughts. Blackwatch was not here to meddle in his affairs, and PARIAH could wait. Dwelling on the past would do no good, and those problems could wait until later.

He sighed, a habit he picked up from humans, seeing as his body didn't actually require air. He didn't even need to breathe. He only did it so that he would have access to his sense of smell.

He looked back to the television pondering a simple question. Why did _any_ small fiber of his being even want to stop the killer for any reason other than to gain information? What did he care if a few innocents were killed? He had killed innocents before, back in New York during the Blacklight outbreak. Of course, he did it because he was consuming them in order to replace lost biomass. Perhaps all the people he had consumed in his life thus far were beginning to affect his morals. Even if it was only by a miniscule amount. He knew no amount of consumption would actually change his personality. But then that left the question: why?

He was pulled from his thoughts when someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned around, and sure enough, there stood Mikoro, coffee in hand, and a small smile on her face.

A smile he didn't deserve.

***Page Break***

"_HIS NAME IS MERCER…ALEX J."_

_**Two scientists stood over a body.**_

_ "YEAH WELL, NOW HE'S EX-BLACKLIGHT."_

_**They were hovering over the body, preparing to perform a procedure.**_

"_STOP PLEASE! YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!"_

_**A hooded figure, violently striking the face of a U.S Marine, hard enough to shatter cement.**_

_ "BREAK ITS GRIP! SOMEONE BREAK ITS GRIP!"_

_**The same hooded figure, his hand around the neck of a panicking soldier.**_

_"TARGET NOT DOWN, REPEAT TARGET NOT DOWN!"_

_**A strange armored creature hit by a missile, but not being harmed.**_

_ "MERCER'S BODY IS…A TIMEBOMB."_

_**The hooded figure again, cleaving through a crowd of people with a man-sized blade.**_

_ "MERCER ISN'T A HE, IT'S AN IT!"_

_**A military official, missing his right hand, shouting at a special agent.**_

_ "HE KNEW WHERE SHE IS…I KNOW WHERE SHE IS."_

_**The hooded figure, in a back alley, clutching his head.**_

_ "TAGGART! YOU SUICIDAL MORON!"_

_**The man was jumping through the air, pursuing a tank, all the while hundreds of soldiers shot at him.**_

_ "YOU THINK YOU'VE WON?!"_

_**The special agent, lying on a rooftop, that same hooded figure standing over him.**_

_ "NOTHING WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ME!"_

_**Still in the air, still pursuing the tank.**_

_ "ALEX PLEASE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!"_

_**A woman, blonde hair, icy blue eyes, staring at him with worry.**_

_ "NOT MEN, NOT WEAPONS!"_

_**He ripped through a dozen soldiers who blocked his path to the tank.**_

_ "HE'S ON OUR BIRD, HE'S ON OUR BIRD!"_

_**The hooded figure was latching on to a helicopter. He was ripping the door off.**_

_ "NOT ARMOR!"_

_**He landed on the tank, and made his way toward the hatch. Nothing would get in his way this time.**_

_ "HE'S COMING IN, HE'S COMING IN!"_

_**The helicopter door was gone, he had made his way in, and the screams of the pilots filled his ears.**_

"_THE LAST PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THIS DIES TONIGHT."_

_**The man with the hood was on a rooftop. He wasn't alone.**_

_** "**__LET?! WE'RE SIX MINUTES OUT, AND ONLY I KNOW THE CODE!"_

_**He held the one handed man by the throat. They were on a battleship. There was a bomb next to him.**_

_"AND WHEN I CONSUME YOU, I'LL BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND EVEN THIS."_

_**He was thrown backwards, a gurgling sound emanating from the abomination before him.**_

_** "**__TRY REGROWING THAT."_

_**He cut its head off. Blood gushed out like a fountain. The Supreme Hunter was dead.**_

"_WE WILL FIND THOSE RESPONSIBLE. WE WILL DRAG THEM OUT OF THEIR HIDING PLACES, AND WE WILL MAKE THEM PAY. WHEREVER THEY ARE! WHEREVER THEY ARE! WHATEVER WEAPONS THEY POSSESS, THEY WILL LEARN THE FINAL LESSON; AMERCIA DOES NOT START WAR, AMERICA ENDS THEM!"_

_**The sight of a burning city. The voice of a man speaking to a crowd; all heard through a radio broadcast.**_

_"MY NAME IS ALEX MERCER, AND MY WORK IS ALMOST DONE."_

_**The hooded figure, he was standing on a rooftop, overlooking New York City. His jacket flapping in the wind, a red tribal symbol, resembling a pair of wings on his back.**_

He jerked up. His hands immediately flew to his head, cradling it, attempting to stabilize himself. His name…what was his name? What was it? Was it Siren or…

_Alex Mercer?_

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Mikoro: Some of you might know what Mikoro is supposed to be in this fanfic, at least if you've seen the anime, others might not. Worry not! This is something that is meant to be explained in the actual story line.**

**The Ending Scene: Again, some of you may be very confused. And again, this is meant to be explained in the story. Fret not lads!**

**The lack of –kuns, -chans, etc.: OK, so, I am not Japanese, and I have very little knowledge on the subject of these suffixes, or whatever they're called. I don't see a reason to add them on, seeing as this fanfic is being written in English, and English translations of anime almost never include those suffixes. The only exception I can think of so far will be how Kuroko refers to Mikoto. She will still call her "onee-sama". If this for whatever reason bothers you, I am sorry for the inconvenience, but there will be no suffixes.**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PROTOTYPE, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, OR A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN!**

**Sorry for the wait! Tests and projects were dropped on us like bombs at school, and I ended up getting sick. Anyway, here's Chapter 3!**

**Long Chapter Alert! If you guys dislike long chapters, tell me and I will shorten them in the future. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3**

**The Hunter**

Mikoro shivered slightly as a cool morning breeze blew through the bus station. A scowl was present on her face, and her arms were crossed over her chest. Currently, her thoughts were of a certain mysterious teenager.

Siren Mercer was the oddest, and possibly the most awkward person she had met in her life. He seemed utterly incapable of holding a conversation with a stranger, and she had never seen him speak with anyone but her.

It wasn't too difficult to tell why. The guy took intimidating to a whole new level. His piercing grey eyes never held an ounce of warmth; they always had a cold, calculated look to them. He didn't smile very often, and he always seemed calm to the point that one could mistake him for a government agent. His size and deep voice didn't help either. That and he seemed…off.

Mikoro couldn't place a finger on it, but whenever she looked at Siren Mercer, something always seemed out of place. It was as if he was hiding something, holding _something_ back, and for whatever reason, that seemed to put _everyone _on edge. As if they were in the presence of some wild animal which could suddenly lash out at any given second.

She sighed in worry. Back at the café, Siren had complained about a headache, and ended up leaving early. She hadn't seen him since then, and it was worrying her.

She had tried to help him, but he waved her off, assuring her that he was fine, and that all he needed was a little rest.

Her head snapped up as she thought of something. She might not be able to help him with his headache, but she knew someone who had a way of making friends with others. Maybe, just maybe, that someone could help Siren out, perhaps helping him learn to make friends on his own. She grinned as she jumped up, running to the house of a certain unlucky teenager.

***Page Break***

He sat on the rooftop, clutching his head, the rush of memories throwing him off balance and disorienting him. The moment he had felt the memories coming on, he told Mikoro that he was experiencing a headache. In actuality, he was growing unstable due to the memories. He quickly left the café as soon as he figured out what was going on.

His speed had allowed him to run up the side of a nearby building, making his way to the secluded rooftop. Before long, the memories began flashing through his head. He noticed early on that certain events would trigger these flashbacks. Something in the real world would trigger some sense of recognition, and he would experience a flashback.

He tried to remember what happened in the café that could have initiated the flashback.

He remembered seeing Mikoro, her getting coffee, and then they sat down. The television was on, and they began watching the news together. After some time, the usual program was coming to an end. The final words were;

"This is an ongoing war against killers, sociopaths, terrorists, and so on. They will all learn the final lesson. Japan does not start wars, it ends them! We will find those responsible for these heinous acts, and we will punish them!"

That was it.

Those words were that had caused the flashback.

He remembered someone saying those words. The words brought on feelings of anger. Not because of what they stood for, but because of what he had remembered. Words that were so similar, and yet…

Lies.

All of them. Lies.

Sighing, he slowly stood up, glancing around to make sure there were no onlookers. He walked toward the back of the building, the side that faced an alley way, and slowly stepped off.

The building was several meters high, and had a normal human jumped off, they would have certainly broken their legs, and possibly some ribs if they hit the ground in such a position.

However, Siren's boneless body hit the ground without any damage to him. The same could not be said for the now shattered ground beneath his feet. The sound of concrete breaking echoed throughout the alley, and he knew he would have to vacate the area quickly, before someone saw him.

He jogged toward the end of the alley, until he made it out onto the sidewalk. He looked around, noting the distinct lack of military activity. The first time he went outside was back in New York, during the viral outbreak. The entire city was crawling with Infected during those days, and the military was doing everything in its power to contain the virus.

He had grown accustomed to the apocalyptic atmosphere that New York had produced during those times, and so, walking through a city such as this, with no sign of the REDLIGHT or BLACKLIGHT viruses anywhere was something of an alien sight to him.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he turned to his left and began walking at a quick pace. His primary goal would not change because of those memories. He may have been confused beyond belief, but he was aware that with each memory that came back to him, more and more about their origins was revealed to Siren. He knew that if he waited until he had enough of the lost memories, as he had taken to calling them, he would eventually have all the pieces of this puzzle. Armed with such knowledge, he knew that he could proceed with his goals without giving to much thought to his memory problem, seeing as it could be resolved if he went about his life, triggering flashbacks and consuming others.

He began glancing around, looking for anything that could serve as a hideout. He doubted that he could find the other killer so easily, but perhaps he could find a low-life or two who would be willing to 'donate' their memories to his cause.

He mentally prepared himself for the upcoming hunt, knowing that sooner or later, he would once again feel the familiar rush of foreign memories.

And those memories would serve as a stepping stone to his prize; the other killer.

It was only a matter of time.

***Page Break***

"Touma! I'm hungry!"

A teenager with long, spiked black hair face palmed at the sound of his roommate's yelling.

He was currently wearing a plain white shirt with black pants and white socks. He looked up from his homework toward the owner of the voice.

She was a short girl with long blue hair, bangs covering her forehead, and large green eyes. She wore white and gold robes, along with a similarly colored head piece, something only a nun like her would be caught wearing. Currently, said girl was glaring at him, and he could hear her stomach growling from here.

"Index, please, I have to do my homework! Don't you see how far behind I am?"

"I don't care! I want food and you don't have anything in your fridge!"

"That's because you've already eaten everything!"

"That's because you barely had anything to begin with! Now let's go to a restaurant or something because every time you go shopping you drop half the food on the way back!"

"Fine, fine! I'll take you to the stupid restaurant," grumbled Touma "Such misfortune."

Index grinned triumphantly. Finally she was going to get the food she so dearly desired!

Before long, the two were prepared to leave, but the moment Touma opened the door he was treated to a surprised looking Mikoro, her hand raised slightly in preparation to knock on the door.

"Oh, hey Mikoto. How's it go—"

"Uh, it's Mikoro, actually," she said with a sheepish smile.

Touma blinked, before his hand met his face once more.

"Oh crap! Sorry Mikoro, you know I always confuse you with Mikoto," he said, scratching the back of his head with a slight smile on his face.

Mikoro's smile widened. "Oh don't worry about it; I know Mikoto and I are pretty much identical, minus the personalities and powers of course."

Touma chuckled. Mikoro was a kind and gentle girl, with no esper powers what so ever, whereas Mikoto was a defensive, short-tempered, power-house that had a tendency to electrocute things, and people, when she was angry. Touma had been shocked by her enough times to know the difference between the personalities of the two girls.

"So what are you doing here?" He inquired.

Mikoro cleared her throat before speaking. "I need your help with something. Or rather _someone."_

Touma frowned. He may not have been the strongest guy in Academy City, heck, he was only a Level 0, but if his friends were in danger, he would be the first to jump in to protect them.

"Is someone giving you trouble? If so –"

"No, no, no!" Mikoro quickly said, all the while waving her hands in front of her for emphasis. "Nothing like that, it's just a friend of mine is, well, he has trouble making friends. Frankly, most people take one look at him before walking the other way. You seem to make friends with everyone, even past enemies, so I thought maybe you could give him a hand."

Touma blinked. He hadn't expected a request like this, but he couldn't, in good conscious, refuse a request from a friend.

"Ah, sure, I suppose I could meet up with this guy, but, why me? I mean, I'm nothing special when it comes to making friends."

Mikoro rolled her eyes. She knew that Touma was especially clueless. In all honesty, she shouldn't be surprised that the boy had no idea what she was referring to.

"In case you haven't noticed Touma, you have made friends with a pretty sizable portion of your enemies. I thought maybe you could hang out with my friend for a while, and maybe he could learn from you," Mikoro explained.

Touma thought back to all the people he had made friends with who were once his enemies. The first person that came to mind was Stiyl Magnus. The magician had once battled Touma in an attempt to separate him from Index. Eventually, they realized that their common goal was to help Index, back when they believed that the grimoires that she memorized had threatened her safety.

The more Touma thought about it, the more he realized that Mikoro was right. He _had_ made friends with a lot of his prior enemies.

"Well, I guess I could help him. Anyway, Index and I were about to go out to get something to eat. Would you like to come along?"

"No thanks, I just had coffee."

"But did you eat anything?" piped a voice from behind Touma.

Mikoro looked over Touma's shoulder and saw Index standing behind him, arms crossed, and face scrunched up.

"Food is far more important than coffee you know," said the blue haired girl.

"Well, I didn't actually _eat _anything but—"

"Then no buts," cried Index. "Come with us and get a proper meal. Besides, Touma is the one paying."

Mikoro giggled as Touma rolled his eyes, muttering the words "such misfortune" as he had so many times in the past.

"I suppose I could," she replied after a moment's consideration.

"Well, since you're coming along, you can tell me more about your friend along the way."

"Sure thing!" replied Mikoro.

And with that, the three went off in search of a suitable place to eat.

***Page Break***

He had found someone; a woman.

She knew of the killer's location. Siren had consumed her after a short scuffle, and immediately felt the rush of memories. This woman, she had worked for the killer; Craig. The killer's name, or alias, was Craig.

Currently, Siren was outside, sprinting as fast as he could, jumping across rooftops, moving at speeds that outpaced even the fastest among the animal kingdom. He had used his polymorphic abilities to rearrange his biomass, forming a new set of clothes to help conceal his identity.

He had swapped out his black vest and grey hoodie for a plain black leather jacket and a white hoodie. He had pulled up the hood as far as he could, and he had changed his combat boots to a pair of black shoes. He decided to keep his blue jeans, seeing as they weren't, by any means, uncommon.

He wasn't trying to hide his identity from the killer; he was trying to hide it from the public. It would be difficult to blend in if everyone was shouting, "Hey, isn't that the tentacle lunatic who does parkour on skyscrapers and eats people?"

…That would indeed make it difficult to blend in.

However, despite all this, stealth was not his main concern. The memories of the woman he consumed had revealed a disturbing fact.

The killer was one of the Infected.

But he was not ordinary Infected. He was intelligent, he wasn't a grotesque mass of walking flesh like the other Infected, and he wasn't a hulking Hunter. No, the woman's memories revealed him to possess abilities very similar to Siren's.

Polymorphism. The ability to shape shift.

This Infected creature somehow possessed the ability to shape shift. This surprised Siren to a great extent. As far as he knew, only he, the intelligent disease that possessed demigod like powers, was capable of shape shifting. And as far as he knew, he was the only sample of BLACKLIGHT in existence that was truly sapient.

So to find a creature capable of the same feat, yet being a completely different being was a shock. Siren needed to get to this Craig character, and find out where the heck he got his powers from.

The most likely source of Craig's power was the REDLIGHT virus. He knew even Blackwatch wasn't stupid enough to try to create a new sample of BLACKLIGHT, and the masses of BLACKLIGHT left over in the remains of New York City were highly unstable, and the chance of someone _actually_ gaining powers from those masses was one in a million.

The only explanation he could think of was that somehow, the REDLIGHT virus had mutated, or maybe consumed a portion of the BLACKLIGHT virus, and had given abilities similar to his own to Craig. However, how Craig was exposed to either of the viruses was still a mystery.

But mysteries could be solved.

He simply needed to get to Craig's location.

***Page Break***

Touma looked over to the girl walking beside him. Looking at her brought back painful memories of the twisted experiments that were geared to create the world's first Level 6 esper. But the sight also brought the warm feeling of knowing that he had put a stop to the twisted program, and had saved a massive amount of people. People he cared for.

Some time ago, a group of scientists wished to create the most powerful esper to walk the Earth; the first Level 6. The chosen subject was the esper who currently held the title of strongest esper in Academy City; Accelerator.

The tests involving Accelerator were relatively straightforward. He was told to kill his opponents. But who would _want_ to fight such an esper? The answer was no one. The most effective way to conduct the experiment was to clone one of the strongest espers in Academy City; Misaka Mikoto.

The clones then fought with Accelerator, one by one, learning, advancing, all so that he would have a greater challenge, and grow to become more powerful. However, if a Level 0 could have defeated someone like Accelerator, it would force the scientists involved to rethink their calculations.

Touma was the one who battled and defeated the mighty Accelerator. He did so with the help of a certain power; Imagine Breaker. Touma's right hand had the interesting ability of being able to cancel out any esper powers, or magic. It also had the added side effect of canceling out any good fortune that would come his way, leaving the poor teenager with only misfortune.

With such ability, Touma faced Accelerator in open battle, and both quickly realized that Accelerators abilities were useless against Touma. Without being able to rely on his abilities, Accelerator was unable to defeat Touma, and ended up losing to the unlucky teen.

The clones who had yet to be killed by Accelerator survived, and Accelerator went on with his life, gradually experiencing a change of heart, especially after he met Last Order.

Out of all the clones that survived, there was one that was truly unique. She was a defected clone, one who lacked any esper abilities, and seemed to be incapable of fighting no matter how much the information the other clones sent to her. However, this did not bother her. She was content with living a normal life as a regular Level 0 in Academy City. In the end, she got what she wanted; a life, a home, friends, everything a teenager needed to survive.

She was even given a name of her own; Misaka Mikoro.

Since Mikoro wasn't to participate in any of the experiments involving the clones, her connection to the Misaka Network was cut, and she was put through a stabilization process to help her adjust to the lack of communication with her fellow clones. In a way, she was a prototype, sent to live her life like a normal human, to see if maybe someday, the other clones could have such a life as well.

Yes, the girl walking beside him was a clone, but she was still her own person. She had her own desires, her own friends, and her own hobbies. She may have had to keep her past a secret, seeing as cloning is illegal, but she was happy.

"So Mikoro, about this friend of yours…"

Mikoro's head turned toward him, an expression of excitement on her face. "Oh I'm sure you and him will be able to get along! He may come off as cold, paranoid, and he'll probably have trouble trusting you at first, but I think he'll warm up to you. His name is Siren Mercer."

Touma cocked his head. "Siren Mercer, huh? That name doesn't sound Japanese. What country is he from?"

"He never told me his nationality, but he said he has lived in the U.S."

"Hm, interesting," replied Touma.

Next to him, Index was having a hard time being patient.

"Touma, are we there yet?"

Touma sighed. It was hard to believe that the girl next to him, even with her photographic memory, could have been patient enough to memorize thousands of grimoires.

"Don't worry Index, it's just over here."

Index looked toward the area that Touma had gestured to. Her face lit up as she saw the restaurant.

***Page Break***

Several stories above the trio of friends, a creature crashed through the window of an abandoned room. He looked around quickly before his eyes settled on the one before him.

The two beings stared at each other. The shorter of the pair was a tan man with navy blue pants, white shoes, and a red sleeveless shirt. His mop of long black hair looked as if it hadn't been combed in years, and his dark brown, almost black, eyes stared at the creature before him with no small amount of anticipation.

The other creature, was wearing a familiar black jacket and white hoodie.

"So, this is the infamous 'first killer?" asked Siren, looking Craig up and down.

"Right you are Mercer," replied Craig. "You know, I knew you had created a new body for yourself, but man, I didn't think you'd take the form of a teenager."

Siren blinked. The hell was this lunatic talking about? New body? What new body? And what the hell did he mean "take the form of a teenager"?

Siren's eyes narrowed in anticipation and concentration. The amount of information Craig must have held, not to mention Craig's unique DNA, would provide sufficient answers, _and_ it would practically _fuel_ Siren's evolution. He was already prepared for the upcoming battle, but the question was, was Craig?

"I know you probably came here with plans of consuming me, but I ask that you listen to what I have to say. You and I, we could join forces. A certain someone would be delighted to have someone like you working with us. Together we could –"

Siren couldn't help but laugh. "I hope you understand that I have no intention of joining you."

Craig frowned. Clearly, he was hoping to reason with Siren, maybe persuade him. It seemed that that plan was doomed to failure. "Don't worry. If you refuse to cooperate, I have orders to take drastic measures to 'convince' you."

Siren's expression hardened. "Who's giving the orders?"

Craig laughed. "That's need-to-know only. Not for the ears of someone like you. Of course, if you come with me, you would find out everything you want to know. _Everything._"

Siren frowned. "You may be powered by something that I don't know about yet, but you're not perfect. Your body still has bones and organs, weaknesses that can be exploited. _I _don't have those weaknesses. I have no bones for you to break, no organs for you to damage. You still have traces of humanity, I don't. _I am perfect._ You are going to die today, and I will be the one to kill you. After that, your memories are _mine_."

Craig sighed. "But if we work together, we will be so much more than what we are now. We can become what we were _supposed _to be. One is never truly perfect, and you have a long way to go before you reach that type of status, or anything close to it."

Siren said nothing, and Craig realized that there was no reasoning with the hooded creature.

The two stared at each other for a few more seconds before Siren lunged forward, arms quickly changing. Within a fraction of a second, his arms, from the shoulder down were masses of black tentacles. His fists had swelled to twice the size of a human head, and his knuckles grew exponentially, and white, bone-like spikes protruded from them.

Siren drew back his Hammerfist, and while Craig's eyes could only widen at the display of speed, Siren swung his Hammerfist forward, connecting solidly with Craig's head, sending him rocketing out the window.

He then dashed forward, moving faster than any human could have achieved, and jumped out the window, extending his fists forward, using his entire body as one massive projectile.

It was time for Craig to die.

**(A/N) I hope everyone is enjoying the fic so far, and I am always open for constructive criticism, questions, and your general thoughts, so feel free to message me in the comment section! **

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**The Hammerfist: If any of you are confused as to what it looks like, simply look it up on Google Images. The original Hammerfist lacked the spikes though, I added them to give them a more mace-like feel.**

**Storyline in relation to Prototype 2: There is no James Heller in this fanfic, there is no Evil Mercer (who is a horrible portrayal of the amazing anti-hero that is Alex Mercer), etc. This fanfic takes place after [Prototype], but it is treated as if the events of Prototype 2 never occurred.**


	4. Chapter 4

** DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PROTOTYPE, PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!**

**Phew! Worked pretty late into the night to get this one done! Think of this early post as my way of apologizing for taking so long with Chapter 3. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next installment of A Certain Sapient Virus!**

**(A/N) So the fanfic is rated M, and this is the chapter where the blood, gore, M rated stuff comes in. You have been warned. AND NO, THERE WILL BE NO BED SCENES OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT! Also, THANK YOU to everyone who has left a comment or private messaged me about this story! Your feedback means a lot, and a simple "good job" may seem like a little, but to an author, it means a lot!**

**Chapter 4**

**The Virus, the Girl, and the Killer**

Siren's body plummeted from the sky, his Hammerfists outstretched, aimed at Craig. He was surprised that Craig's skull hadn't been shattered by the force of his punch, but he quickly deduced that whatever had given Craig powers had greatly strengthened Craig's bones to ensure that he would be able to take a hit, as well as dish them out.

A dozen or so feet below Siren, Craig was rocketing to the ground, his face bleeding profusely as a result of taking a direct hit from Siren like that.

Suddenly, without warning, Craig stretched his limbs. Red mist began emanating from his body, and he was able to slow his fall tremendously. Siren followed suite, preparing to glide after the rogue Infected.

Craig glided over to the roof of a nearby building with Siren hot on his tail. The two were still a few stories above the ground, and the rooftop was a wide open area.

Craig landed first, rolling to help put some distance between him and his pursuer. He turned around just in time to see Siren land, the roof cracking and splitting under Siren's feet.

Quickly, Craig began transforming his arms, seeing as Siren was wasting no time in getting down to business. In less than a second, Craig's arms were masses of red tentacles, similar to Siren's, but instead of massive fists, Craig's fingers were replaced by four blade-like knives, each several feet long.

He fanned his Claws out in front of him, taking a battle stance to prepare himself. He was a cocky bastard, but he was not stupid enough to underestimate Siren.

"Nice, very nice! I didn't think that you could move like that, what with those Hammerfists weighing you down. I guess the data Blackwatch had on you had been correct, you _are_ fast."

Siren smirked. "No need to tell me what I already knew."

Craig grinned. "Arrogant little fuck, ain't ya?"

"It's not arrogance. It's a simple fact. You're telling me what I am already aware of. "

Craig frowned. Siren's attitude clearly wasn't something he admired.

"Hey, quick question. Why are the people you kill always older women?"

Craig blinked. "What's it to ya?"

"Just curious. That, and I don't feel like waiting until I consume you to find out."

Craig stood in silence for a few seconds. Finally, he spoke. "My kid was killed in a car accident because some hag thought she was still young enough to drive. Of course, everything was blamed on my daughter. They said she 'was a young inexperienced teen who was speeding like a madwoman.' The old bitch that killed my daughter went on with her life like nothing happened."

"And now you're killing people who are of similar age to that woman. Funny, you and that 'old bitch' seem to have a lot in common," said Siren.

"Screw you, you emo fuck," growled Craig.

_You really don't have room to talk pal. Not with that kind of hair._

Siren dashed forward, drawing his right hand back, and bringing it down on Craig. Crag was able to avoid the oncoming strike, and Siren's Hammerfist smashed onto the roof. The material was shattered, and dust was kicked up from the force of Siren's attack.

Before he could haul himself up, Craig was already on top of him, raising his right Claw, and bringing it down on Siren's back. Siren made no attempt to move, and allowed the Claw to imbed itself in his right shoulder.

Craig grinned, and tried to jump back, but found he was unable to do so. Confused, he looked down at Siren, who in turn, was smirking back at him. Tentacles wormed their way out of Siren's right shoulder and wrapped themselves around Craig's Claw.

Before Craig could react, a single, massive black spike rocketed out of Siren's back, right into Craig's stomach. He grunted, but didn't panic. Both beings knew that they each had their own healing abilities, but Siren knew that Craig's body was more vulnerable, seeing as it still had bones and organs.

The spike tore its way out of Craig's stomach and retracted back into Siren's back. Quickly, Siren's hands began changing again. He reconstructed his biomass, and now his Hammerfists were replaced with long slender Claws, slightly larger than Craig's.

He turned around, the tentacles on his shoulder releasing Craig, and imbedded his right Claw in Craig's stomach. He drew back his left hand, and sent it crashing into the side of Craig's head. The man was sent flying away, a trail of blood flowing like a water fall from his stomach.

Craig landed with a thud and a roll. He quickly looked up at Siren, only to see that the same expression was present on Siren's face, and he didn't seem worried in the slightest.

"That was a foolish thing to do; getting so close. You should try keeping your distance, it might buy you some time to say your prayers before you die," Siren commented.

Craig grit his teeth. He was never one to be able to hold back his anger, and Siren was doing a fine job of pushing his buttons.

"You think a Claw to the stomach will stop me? Please, this isn't the first time I've been impaled, and this definitely isn't my first battle."

Siren's expression darkened and his eyes seemed to glow for a second.

Siren bent his legs, and leapt at Craig, Claws outstretched, as if he was about to hug someone. If hugs were meant to kill, then Siren would have been the best at the act.

Craig only barely managed to jump out of the way as Siren landed on the spot where he stood not only a moment ago. Siren swiped his Claws together as he reached the rooftop, leaving several long claw marks on the rooftop.

Craig jumped forward, fanning his Claws out once more.

Siren looked up in time to se Craig bearing down on him, and lifted his right arm. Craig's eyes widened as Siren's arm transformed into a massive black Shield. Craig's Claws crashed into the Shield, but besides pushing Siren back a bit, they didn't do any visible damage to the hooded teen.

Siren shifted more biomass toward his right arm, and shoved Craig away from him. The force knocked Craig off balance, and Siren took the opportunity to spin around, reaching out with his leg in a roundhouse kick.

Craig, who had recovered his balance, dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding the kick that was aimed at his head. His head jerked up, and he noticed that Siren had raised his foot as high as he could.

_Craig, allow me to introduce you to my foot._

Siren brought down his foot on Craig's left shoulder, the force of the impact crushing both the shoulder, and the surrounding rooftop. Craig bit back a scream, and swiped his good arm out in front of him, knocking Siren off his feet.

Siren stretched out his Claws, catching himself, and launched himself into the air. He curled into a ball, and dropped down toward Craig. The shorter man rolled out of the way just as Siren made contact with the rooftop, crushing it beneath him.

He jumped back, and the two eyed each other once more.

Siren smirked. "What's wrong Craig? You look a little winded."

Craig narrowed his eyes. "Shut up," he snarled.

The smirk never left Siren's face. "Struck a nerve did I? Hmm, you know, I noticed something strange. All this time, you haven't bothered changing your Claws into something else. Can't you see they aren't going to work on me?"

Craig narrowed his eyes and bit his lip. It seemed as though Siren was about to make a crucial connection.

Suddenly the smirk left Siren's face, replaced by a look of confusion. He blinked. "Oh. Oh, you _can't_ choose a different weapon, can you? You attack _me_ when the only weapon you can create is a pair of weak Claws?"

Craig found himself gritting his teeth once more. He had hoped to convince Siren to join him, but now that he had been forced to battle the teen, his limited abilities were becoming more and more of a problem. However…there was still a chance.

"Whoever created you clearly didn't finish. You should have evolved before coming here; now, you'll never get the chance." Siren shook his head in disapproval. "Goodbye Craig."

He took a step forward, but stopped when he noticed Craig's shoulders trembling slightly. Soon, Craig's shoulders were shaking uncontrollably, and he was laughing like a maniac.

"YOU THINK I WOULD COME HERE WITH ONLY ONE TRICK UP MY SLEEVE?! HUH?! WELL YOU'RE WRONG! YOU LOOK AT ME AS THOUGH I'M WEAK, BUT YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!"

His laughter died down after a few seconds. "I'm no fool Mercer. You said so yourself, you don't know what gives me power. You have no idea what I'm capable of. You think shape shifting was the only thing I could do? Please, I'm not that shallow."

Suddenly, Craig's chest began expanding, and his eyes narrowed in concentration. Siren took a step back and watched the man throw his head back. Then, without warning, Craig's head shot forward, his face directed toward the ground. A red substance began pouring out of his mouth onto the rooftop.

Siren's eyes widened and his face scrunched up in disgust. Craig made choking sounds as the substance continued pouring from his mouth.

After of few seconds of watching this, Siren's Claws flew up to his head.

_What the hell?! What's happe—?_

"YOU HURT ME, AHH!"

**A woman with red hair stood before him, before collapsing to the ground, a red, blood-like substance gushing out of her mouth.**

As quickly as it appeared, the image vanished from Siren's mind. He slowly lowered his Claws; his face was a mask of confusion. He looked back toward Craig, who had finished vomiting. However, Craig had a grin on his face and he chuckled.

"Have fun here pal! I'll give you a call when we're ready, and we can all have a happy reunion!"

Siren blinked. _What the fuck is he talking about?_

Craig turned around and began sprinting toward the edge of the rooftop. Siren, despite being slightly disoriented from the return of a lost memory, took off after him.

_I have to get to him. He might know things that could explain what all these memories are. What they mean. He might be the key to figuring out who I am. Who I was before the outbreak. _

Suddenly, Siren felt something grab his leg. Confused, he looked down, only to find a massive _hand_ had hauled itself out of the pool of the red substance and had latched onto him. His eyes widened as an arm slowly pulled itself from the pool, then a shoulder, then a _head._

The face stared at him. The eyes were fused shut by skin (how it could see him was beyond him), and the mouth open and closed a few times before the rest of the body emerged from the pool. The red substance was now gone, seemingly forming the creature that now held on to Siren's leg.

Siren stared at the massive abomination. Its moist skin was an brown, earthly color, and the thing stood at about the height of an elephant. It vaguely resembled a large, hairless brown gorilla, but it had a second mouth on the top of its head.

The thing towered over him, staring at him for a few seconds before unleashing a deafening roar. It lifted him up above its head, and smashed him against the rooftop a few times, like an angry child with a toy.

Siren grunted as he felt the impact. He might not have had bones, but he could still feel pain. Again and again the creature pounded him against the roof, until finally, Siren broke free.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he leapt backwards, his mind racing.

_This…this is a Leader Hunter! How the hell did Craig manage to absorb one into himself!? How was he controlling it? Does he even have any control over it?_

His train of thought was interrupted as the Leader Hunter charged at him. He jumped over the monstrosity, flipping through the air and landing behind it. The Leader Hunter's head whipped around, seemingly glaring at him. He knew that his Claws would not be enough to penetrate the Hunter's thick hide.

As the creature rushed forward once more, Siren willed his biomass to reconstruct itself. In less than a second, his Claws were gone, and his left hand looked absolutely normal. His right hand however, was a different story. It was still mostly black tentacles, seemingly entwined together to create his arm, but just below his elbow, a massive Blade had replaced his Claws. The Blade was slightly larger than a full grown man, and the front portion of it stretched out toward the ground, while the back end stretched out just above his head. The Blade was usually parallel to his body, but he held it out in front of him horizontally.

The transformation had finished just as the Hunter closed in, and Siren swept the Blade out in front of him, leaving a large gash across the monster's chest. The Hunter shrieked in agony as blood gushed out of the open wound. The thing took several steps back, the rooftop crunching and breaking beneath its weight.

Siren realized that the rooftop would not hold out for much longer; he needed to relocate. He dashed forward, cutting the Leader Hunter's right hand, enraging it all the more.

_Good. I need its attention._

He kept sprinting toward the edge of the building, hoping that the Hunter would follow him. Just as he reached the end, a massive hand crashed into his back, grabbing him. He glanced back in surprise. He hadn't expected the Hunter to move that fast. It must have been more evolved than the other ones he had fought.

He remembered his first encounter with a Leader Hunter. Not only was the battle intense, but it had given him his first lost memory. The memory was of an African American doctor who was talking to him about consuming a Leader Hunter in order to learn the location of someone. Who that someone was, he couldn't remember.

Siren was yanked from his thoughts as the Leader Hunter pulled back its arm and hurled him down toward the street below. The force of the throw was tremendous, but he was able to halt his descent by stretching out his limbs and gliding toward a nearby building.

However, before he could get far, something hit him once more. That something was a large piece of the rooftop he had been on mere moments ago. Apparently, this Hunter could aim quite well.

The impact sent him plummeting toward the street once again, faster than last time.

_Crap! At this rate, I'm going to—!_

His train of thought was interrupted by his crash landing into the road and the sound of surprised civilians and car alarms blazing in his ears.

***Page Break***

Mikoro's head snapped up as the sound of something crashing reached her ears. Touma and Index portrayed similar reactions as soon as they heard the commotion.

She couldn't see what was going on, but the crash seemed to have come from behind the skyscraper that blocked her view of the event that was transpiring behind it.

"What the heck was that?" shouted Touma, his face a mask of worry.

"I have no idea," Index replied.

Mikoro said nothing. She had a very bad feeling, and for whatever reason, her thoughts wandered to Siren Mercer.

Touma had already jumped up from his seat at the table, spilling some of his coffee onto his pancakes.

"I think we should—"He was interrupted by the sound of something else crashing. This time, the crash was much louder, and Mikoro could hear more people screaming. She spared a glance at Touma, before she ran out of the restaurant. Touma and Index quickly followed.

As soon as she made it out the doorway, she looked over to where the crashed had come from. Touma and Index had run up beside her and were staring in the same direction.

"Mikoro, Index stay here, I'm gonna—"

He fell silent and his jaw dropped as a pickup truck came _sailing over a building._ The truck gradually lost momentum, and gravity did its work. The truck came crashing down onto the street a few feet in front of Mikoro. Several people dived out of the way, shouting and cursing as the truck went rolling across the street.

_Wh—what the heck was that?!_

She turned her head towards Touma. "Touma! What's going on?!" As soon as the words left her mouth, _something_ landed in front of her. She was knocked off her feet and ended up falling on top of Touma. She looked up and gasped.

Before her stood a tan man, dressed in blue pants, white shoes, and a sleeveless red shirt.

"Hey there kid. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."

Mikoro didn't have time to react before the man seized her by the throat and _jumped_ to a height that should not have been possible for any living creature on Earth.

She was vaguely aware of Touma shouting her name before the lack of oxygen got to her, and her vision faded to black.

***Page Break***

Misaka Mikoto was sprinting. Everywhere around her, people were running away from something. She seemed to be the only one running _towards _it. Something was going on just around the corner; she could hear the screaming and the familiar sounds of battle from here. She had been shopping when she heard the crashes, and had dropped everything and rushed outside to investigate.

She may have been young, but she was still the Railgun; the third ranked Level 5 esper, and she planned on stopping whatever crime might have been going on.

An inhumane roar sounded throughout the area. Mikoto froze as the she heard the terrible sound. She had never heard something make such a noise, and judging by the volume, it was something _big._

Her expression hardened, and she took off, moving faster than before, desperately trying to reach her destination.

The sounds of battle increased in volume as she got closer to the corner.

15 feet.

10 feet.

5 feet.

As soon as she rounded the corner, a hooded figure crashed into her, the two tumbling to the ground.

***Page Break***

Siren grunted as he collided with someone. The sounds of the enraged Leader Hunter that just backhanded him were still very present, serving as a reminder that he was still in the middle of a battle.

He slowly hauled himself up, placing his left hand on the shoulder of whoever he landed on. He slowly opened his eyes, and the person below him did the same.

A pair of light brown eyes met his grey ones.

_Mikoro?! Damn it! What the hell is she do—!"_

He blinked as the girl's face burned a bright pink and sparks of electricity began dancing around her forehead.

"You..you—!"

_Wait, Mikoro isn't an esper. That means this is…_

"PERVERT!" shrieked Mikoto.

It seemed as though she was about to attempt to electrocute him, but before she could, Siren rolled to the right, Mikoto in toll. Just as he did so, the Leader Hunter's fist came crashing down on the spot he was in just a second ago.

Mikoto's eyes widened as she beheld the creature that almost crushed her.

Siren spared a glance at Mikoto, and then threw her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing. "Get the hell out of here! I'm not saving you again!"

He refocused on the Leader Hunter, while said Hunter seemed to focus on him in turn, and the two charged at each other.

The Hunter swiped a clawed hand out in front of it, attempting to strike Siren, but he jumped over the creature's left shoulder, and grabbed on to the side of its neck. He swung himself around and planted his feet on the Hunter's neck.

He raised his right hand, which still held the form of the Blade, and began stabbing the Hunter as hard as he could. The monster roared in pain and anger, and thrashed about, but Siren kept on stabbing.

After a few seconds, the Hunter stumbled backwards and stood on its hind legs. Siren jumped off just as the monster fell backwards onto its back. He had no intention of being crushed by a half-dead, hairless ape.

Just as the Hunter began standing up again, a bolt of _lightning_ struck its left arm. The smell of burnt flesh filled Siren's nostrils, and he looked over, only to find Mikoto panting, not from exhaustion, but from anger.

Her face was still red, and her eyes burned with anger. "YOU! YOU HAVE SOME NERVE GROPING ME LIKE THAT YOU PERVERTED FREAK!"

Siren sighed. There was a Leader Hunter literally a dozen feet in front of him, and this girl was screaming at him because she thought he was a pervert.

"Look, I don't have time to deal with your hissy fit. If you're done whining about the fact that I just saved your life, feel free to get lost."

"Saved my life?! You groped me!"

"I grabbed your damn shoulder while getting up! Maybe next time you shouldn't throw yourself in the way of random guys!"

Mikoto's face burned even brighter at his words. "I don't—!" She was cut off as the Leader Hunter let out another roar.

Siren's head snapped toward the Leader Hunter. Its left arm was had been pretty badly burnt by Mikoto's attack, and he knew that it couldn't attack with that hand any more. All it had was its right hand.

He rushed forward, the Hunter, having regained some balance, sprinted forwards toward him. Just as it reached him, it lashed out with its right hand. Siren's left arm transformed into a Shield, and the creature's hand crashed against it. He grunted under the force of the attack, but shoved back, spikes extending from the Shield.

The spikes stabbed at the Hunter's face, wounding it even further. The monster reared back, shrieking in pain once more. Siren jumped, pulling his Blade over his head, and bringing it down on the Hunter's right shoulder.

The Blade cut through both the hide and the bone, completely severing the arm from the body. The Hunter stepped back even further, and Siren jumped forward, grabbing the thing's face.

He knew that if he tried to consume the Leader Hunter regularly, it would still leave a corpse. If the corpse was allowed to remain, the REDLIGHT virus that had mutated this creature to begin with would spread throughout the city, possibly spawning more of these creatures. However, he doubted they would be as powerful as this one. This Leader Hunter seemed abnormally strong, even by Hunter standards.

He looked at his options for half a second before coming to a decision. He drew back his Blade and tore into the Hunter's head, damaging its first spine, and then thrust the Blade into its neck, damaging the second spine.

The beast entered a recovery state, and it was during this small time frame that Siren made his move. Tentacles erupted from his body, engulfing the Leader Hunter, _whole._ It roared and writhed inside the tentacle cocoon, but was unable to move properly since its spines were broken. After a second, the tentacles began absorbing the mutated horror into Siren.

He grunted as he consumed the Hunter. Usually, when consuming Hunters, he would only consume what was in the chest and head, never the whole body since it was so large. However, this time, he didn't have the option of just leaving the corpse to sit around.

With each passing second, more and more of the Leader Hunter was absorbed into Siren, and the less and less it moved. After what felt like an eternity, his tentacles retracted into him, and the Leader Hunter was nowhere to be seen.

He fell on one knee, putting a hand on the pavement to steady himself. Consuming such a large creature at once was a difficult task and it had disoriented him far more than the lost memories ever could. This was one of the reasons he never consumed a Hunter whole; it left him vulnerable, but there was almost nobody left on the streets here; the civilians had all ran away, forgetting phones, purses, and accessories alike. He knew he had some time left before the authorities got here.

He was vaguely aware of Mikoto's presence, and he knew that she was probably staring at him. A quick glance confirmed that. The look on her face was one of disbelief and shock, her face pale and her eyes wide.

Suddenly, Siren felt his biomass lurch and writhe. He started curling into a ball, and held back a scream as his body started changing. Both his arms were covered in tentacles, and his hands were transforming. After a few seconds, his Blade was replaced by his Claws, but something was different.

The Claws were longer, sharper, and they seemed to give off a faint silver glow from the blade-like digits that acted as his fingers. There were shorter blades sticking out of his elbows and shoulders, and all together, the Claws seemed more durable.

He blinked as he realized what happened. Consuming the Leader Hunter seemed to have…upgraded his Claws. He figured that its unique DNA had strengthened his Claws, and the changes were now becoming visible.

He glanced down at his new weapons, smirking slightly as he flexed his digits. He still felt disoriented, but the feeling was rapidly fading.

"Wh-what the heck was that? What _are _you?"

Siren turned toward Mikoto. She still looked confused and shocked, but her eyes now held a level of curiosity.

Siren said nothing, and opted to simply walk in the opposite direction.

"H-hey! I'm talking to you!" Still Siren ignored her. "Stop ignoring me, damn it!"

He was suddenly aware of the sound of electricity sparking. He didn't bother turning back; he simply waited until he heard the sound of the blast.

Just as he predicted, Mikoto launched a blast of electricity at him. When the electricity neared him, he jumped as high as he could, the electricity kicking up dust where it struck.

His feet hit the side of what looked like an apartment building, and he began running up the side of it. He could still hear Mikoto's confused shouting coming from below him.

He eventually reached the top of the building and jumped over the side, landing on the roof with a thud. He took a moment to look around. Luckily, there were no people up here, so he could have a moment of peace.

It was then that he heard a faint vibrating sound. It took him a second to realize what it was. He looked down at his chest and willed it to open up. His chest seemed to unwind in a mass of tentacles, and opened up like a pair of mandibles. He reached inside and pulled out a hardened case of biomass. The biomass softened, and unraveled, revealing a cell phone that was faintly vibrating.

He looked at the caller ID.

It was Mikoro.

He brought the phone up to his ear. "Hello?"

"How did the fight with the Leader Hunter go? I'm sure it must have been exciting. I bet Mikoro thinks so too."

Siren froze. That voice. No, he didn't.

"So," said Craig, "I'm about to send you the coordinates for my chosen rendezvous point. You gotta love these Academy City smart phones; they really make these things easy. Oh, by the way, Mikoro is here too. Try not to be late, she might need you soon."

Siren clenched his fists, nearly crushing the cell phone.

"I will find you, and I will kill you."

**(A/N) This is my first time writing a fight scene. If you have any suggestions for me, please leave a comment or PM me, seeing as I am so new to this.**

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Leader Hunters: If you are confused on what they look like, look them up. They are legit enemies in Prototype.**

** The Blade, Claws, All the Powers: If at any point you are confused as to what the abilities look like, simply look them up (especially the Blade, it's kinda hard to describe with words). Other than that, I made some modifications to the powers, for example, the spikes jutting out of the Shield is something from Prototype 2, but I thought it would make for a more interesting Shield power.**

** Siren's Retorts: So, it always annoys me when the main character of an anime gets pushed around by a female or females who think that he is a pervert. If you think Siren is going to allow himself to get pushed around by Mikoto or anyone else, you're dead wrong lol. Also, Siren will not get all awkward around girls like some anime characters, so don't expect that. Finally, Siren is NOT a pervert. He will not be acting like an idiot drunk on his own hormones when an attractive girl walks by.**


	5. Chapter 5

** DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PROTOTYPE, PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!**

**Phew! SUPER LONG CHAPTER! Had to spend quite some time on this one. Anyway, IMPORTANT NOTICE! For this fanfic to make sense, I added plot points to the storyline from [Prototype], so Siren's back story will contain events that didn't happen in either Prototype game. Anyway, yes, it will leave some slightly confused, but guys, it's a mystery fanfic. You'll all understand everything soon enough *insert cliché evil chuckle here*. Anyway, here's Chapter 5 of A Certain Sapient Virus! Feel free to comment or PM me, and I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 5**

**To Save a Friend**

"I will find you, and I will kill you."

The killer known as Craig hung up.

Mikoro's eyes widened at the words. Was that Siren speaking? His voice sounded so cold, so full of hate.

Craig grinned and put the phone down before looking over to Mikoro.

The two were in a small, dark room. There were no windows, and Craig stood between Mikoro and the only door to the room. The walls were a dull grey, with a ceiling and floor of the same color. The entire room looked to be made out of stone.

"You see? I told you that you know nothing about Siren Mercer. He's only showed you the part of him that he wanted you to see."

Mikoro said nothing. She couldn't even if she wanted to. The creep in front of her had taped her mouth, and even went so far as to _chain_ her to a wall. Her mind raced as she tried to digest what the tan man had said a few minutes ago. He had talked about him being the first murderer, but he said that _Siren_ was the second murderer. She didn't believe it, how could she? She was Siren's friend, and believing this man's words felt like a betrayal to Siren. But she had heard Siren just now. The killing intent in his voice could not be missed.

"I told you didn't I? Siren Mercer is not just some ordinary teenager. He's so much more than you could ever comprehend. Frankly, he's not even a teenager. BLACKLIGHT has no such classification, and the sooner he joins us, the sooner we can fulfill our destiny." Craig's grin vanished. "You and your disgusting kind will be erased from this world, _human._"

Mikoro's confusion and frustration grew with each passing second. What did this man mean when he said those words? Surely he couldn't be planning to wipe out the human race. Surely Siren wouldn't _help_ him. Would he?

***Page Break***

Mikoto glared at the T.V screen. Her eyes were full of anger and curiosity, and she gritted her teeth as she listened to the words of the reporter.

"The damage is extensive, and authorities have questioned several witnesses, each with their own side of the story. However, they all seem to agree on one thing; a massive creature of unknown origin crashed into the road today and battled an unidentified esper along with the city's third ranked Level 5; Misaka Mikoto."

The image switched to that of a civilian who was recalling what he saw at the time.

"At first, this guy came crashing into the ground like some sorta, I don't know, a meteorite. Everybody freaked out 'cause we though he was dead. Next thing we know, he's getting up like nothing happened and jumping out of the way as this huge…thing lands right on the spot he was in. It completely obliterated the road and everything nearby. Next thing we know, the guy who fell first is picking up a pickup truck like it was basketball, then _chucks_ the damn thing over his head at the monster. The thing rolls out of the way and…"

Mikoto tuned out the man's account as she got up.

At this point in time, her only goal was to find that weird tentacle esper and make him answer her questions. She never heard of an esper who could do…whatever it is that guy was capable of. And he ignored her back there! The nerve! Nobody ignores Misaka Mikoto and walks away, especially when she's trying to ask questions.

"Onee-sama, you look very distressed. Perhaps I could give you a relaxing massage. You could get on your stomach, and I would—"

Electricity sparked around Mikoto's forehead. "Kuroko now is _really _not the time for that. I'm not in the best of moods, as you can see."

A short, skinny girl sat frowning in front of Mikoto. She had long brown hair that was tied in two pigtails that hung on the sides of her head.. The ribbons that held them in place were a dull red and she wore the Tokiwadai school uniform and her brown eyes held an ounce of disappointment at Mikoto's words.

"Onee-sama, why must you reject me?" she whined.

"Because that tentacle esper running around needs to be taught a lesson. You DO NOT mess with Misaka Mikoto like that. Also, I'm curious about him. He's definitely unusual."

Kuroko frowned. Ever since Mikoto had come home, she had been obsessing about some 'tentacle esper'. Whoever even heard of a 'tentacle esper'?

"So this esper guy, what do you know about him so far?" asked Kuroko.

"Well…" Mikoto began.

***Page Break***

Something crashed through the wall of the building. The large room had massive generators along the windowless grey walls, and parts of the room were covered in cobwebs; signs that nobody had been here in ages. The walls and floor were made of grey stone and the ceiling was made of wood.

The figure came rolling to a stop on the floor in front of Craig.

"Where is she?" asked the figure.

"Safe. For the moment," replied Craig.

"If you've touched a hair on her head, your screams of pain will echo throughout this city," growled Siren.

"Ooh, scary. You just don't get it, do you? You're the BLACKLIGHT virus. The bioweapon that was made to eradicate _millions_ of these humans. What does the life of one human matter to you?" asked Craig.

"Being the BLACKLIGHT virus doesn't mean I have to abide by a certain set of rules. I kill who I want, and I spare who I think deserves to be spared," Siren replied. "Mikoro is someone who I intend to save. _You_ on the other hand, I intend to kill."

"Mercer, Mercer, Mercer! What will it take for you to open your eyes?! Gentek and Blackwatch made you to _kill._ To _eradicate._ You are a _monster._ Get with the _fucking program_!" Craig hissed. "Join us, work with us! Together, we will fulfill our destiny! We will wipe humanity off the face of the Earth! We will rebuild, recreate! The REDLIGHT and BLACKLIGHT viruses are practically gods in their own rite! Together, they would be unstoppable!"

Siren shook his head. "You know nothing about me. Sure, my nature is to destroy, but you should know that it is the nature of monsters to murder their makers." Siren smirked "I do not bend my knee to either Blackwatch or Gentek, nor do I take cues from them. My destiny is mine to carve. Not for them to decide, not for you. If you still think you can convince me to join you, then you have a world of disappointment and pain coming your way. Although, the pain was going to show up either way."

Craig gritted his teeth. "Fool, humanity doesn't deserve this planet. It doesn't deserve our kindness. It deserves our _wrath_!"

"So do you. You kidnap my friend, released a Leader Hunter in the middle of the city, and try to force me to join you? Please, as if I'd join someone who takes such desperate measures. All you've shown is that you resort to such pathetic methods to get the job done, seeing as _you_ can't get it done right on your own. You deserve more than my wrath."

Craig shook his head. "Such a waste. Someone like you had so much potential; the boss would have been overjoyed to have you work for him."

Siren smirked. "Can't wait to find out who this boss of yours is. I'm sure he must be a sad little creature, what with recruiting the likes of you to work for him."

Craig snapped. It was easy for Siren to agitate the man; and it was obvious that Craig had trouble keeping his anger under control. Both beings jumped toward each other, hands and arms quickly changing before two pairs of Claws interlocked with each other, their owners staring at each other, each with the intent to kill.

Siren acted first, and lifted his legs and planted them on Craig's chest. With a heave, he shoved the man as hard as he could. The force was enough to send Craig sailing into the building's floor. He crashed but kept moving, skidding across the floor, tearing the floor work apart.

He flipped backwards to halt his momentum, and his eyes widened as Siren was already on top of him, Claws raised above his head.

Craig raised his Claws and caught Siren by the wrists. He rose to his full height and began spinning, all the while holding on to Siren. Less than a second later, he had enough momentum to cause actual damage to Siren by throwing him.

He released Siren and the silver-haired teen went flying into one of the windowless walls. He crashed into it, leaving a crater where he landed. Once again, his arms began changing. Shortly afterward, his Claws were replaced by his Blade on his right hand, and a strange, four-pronged weapon on the tip of his left hand, which, along with his arm, was now black tentacles, interwoven to create his limb.

He swung his left hand forward, the tentacles extending as the four-pronged weapon flew forward at high speeds. Craig's eyes widened as Siren's Whipfist closed in on him. He didn't have time to dodge, and the Whipfist imbedded itself in his chest.

Siren yanked back his left hand, and Craig came soaring along with it. The moment Craig was within reach, Siren lurched forward, Blade extended forward like a spear. Craig managed to dislodge himself just in time, as Siren's Blade sailed past his head.

Craig lashed out with his right foot as fast as he could. The kick caught Siren by surprise, and Craig was able to land a solid kick in Siren's face. Craig jumped back as Siren swung his Whipfist in a wide, horizontal ark, an attack that Siren had dubbed as the 'Street Sweeper'.

Craig was narrowly able to avoid the weapon, and he jumped back to gain some distance. As soon as he landed, his chest expanded again, and Siren's eyes widened in panic. If Craig vomited up another Leader Hunter, this battle would become infinitely harder, and if Mikoro was in the building, the risk of her getting infected would have skyrocketed.

Siren dashed forward, dead set on stopping Craig before he could vomit up any more enemies for Siren to face. Unfortunately, Siren was too late. A red, blood-like substance poured out of Craig's mouth like last time. Siren skidded to a halt, gritting his teeth as he prepared to fight yet another Leader Hunter.

Within a few seconds, Craig was done. Siren immediately knew something was different. Last time, it took Craig much longer to vomit up the Leader Hunter. This time, it was much faster.

Siren acted without thinking the moment _something_ burst from the red liquid. Siren jumped back and allowed his Blade and Whipfist to change into a set of Hammerfists.

The appendage that hauled itself out of the red substance looked like…a fleshy _wing? _Siren gasped in surprise; he had never witnessed any of the Infected who possessed _wings._ Seconds later, a humanoid figure hauled itself out of the red substance.

From the waist down, its body was covered in red hide, while from the waist up, it looked like an average Infected. Except the skin on its arms had been stretched out, forming a pair of what looked like mutated bat wings.

Siren's eyes narrowed as a second creature of similar appearance crawled from the red pool. The first looked male, while the second was obviously female.

"Never seen one of these, have ya pal? I'm not surprised, their pretty new, only a few dozen of these Flyers exist right now," Craig said with a smirk.

"What the hell? I understand that you're some kind of highly evolved Infected, but where do you come up with this stuff?"

Craig crossed his arms. "The technical term for me and those like me is 'Evolved'. The term doesn't really apply to you, seeing as you're different from us in terms of anatomy and DNA structure."

Siren smirked. "Of course the term doesn't apply to me; nobody in their right mind would group me with something like you. You're just a cheap imitation. Nothing more than someone's failed attempt to recreate me."

Craig grinned and the winged Infected in front of him began shifting from one foot to the other, their heads jerking around violently; clearly, they were restless. "I assure you Mercer, I am no imitation. In case you haven't already figured out, I am not infected with BLACKLIGHT, but with REDLIGHT. You and I are two very different beings. If two humans both share a similar skill or trait, one is not called a copy of the other."

Siren frowned. "Humans do not have control of their talents when they are born. Whoever created you clearly had a certain image in mind when they gave you your power."

"Hmm. Guess they must have been thinking 'new and improved', wouldn't you agree?"

"I'd agree that your ego blinds you Craig."

"Enough!" Craig snarled. "_End this!_" He pointed a finger at Siren, and the two winged Infected took off into the air. Siren bent his knees and assumed a battle stance as the larger of the two; the male, swooped down toward him.

Just as the Flyer neared him, it swerved away and Siren found himself being tackled to the floor by Craig. He grunted in surprise, before coughing as Craig began ripping into his chest. Craig wildly punched and stabbed at Siren with his Claws, grabbing hold of whatever he could and tearing at it.

Siren's body jerked as a tentacle flew from his chest, forcing Craig to jump off, just in time to prevent his head from being skewered. Siren's lost his eyesight as his entire body became a mass of black tentacles. Said tentacles immediately went to work, tying themselves together, healing him. He slowly stood up, but before he could finish, something slammed into his back, knocking him forward.

His face reconstructed and his eyesight returned, just in time to see the sole of Craig's foot closing in on his face. Siren didn't react fast enough, and the kick sent him stumbling back a few feet. The kick also had the added effect of causing Siren's head to jerk back, his face directed toward the ceiling.

Just as he stopped stumbling back, the female Flyer dived toward him, legs stretched out and face contorted in animal-like fury. Just as the Flyer closed in on him, he reached out, catching her by the throat. The creature shrieked in pain and tried to flap away, all the while slapping at Siren with its feet.

Siren's hold remained strong, and he swung the Flyer over his head and then brought her down on the stone floor. The floor cracked beneath the force currently being applied to it, and the bones of the Infected shattered as she hit the ground. The Flyer didn't have time to shriek as tentacles erupted from Siren's body, engulfing the monster.

He jumped back as the male Flyer swooped down at him again, his tentacles dragging the female with him. As the male came around for another swoop, Siren finished consuming the female Flyer, and formed a Shield from his left hand.

He slapped the creature aside, and looked up just in time to see Craig bearing down on him once more. Siren drew back his right foot and jerked it forward as Craig closed in. The kick connected solidly with Craig's chin, sending him flipping backwards.

Siren whirled around, his right arm transforming into his Whipfist. He swung his arm forwards once more, the tentacles extending rapidly. His Whipfist caught the leg of the Flyer, impaling it just below the knee. Before the creature could react, Siren jerked back his arm, yanking the Flyer back toward him. His tentacles retracted all the way, the Flyer now within arm's reach. He threw the creature up into the air, the Whipfist still in its leg. The tentacles stretched along with the Flyer, until it was a few meters above the ground.

Siren yanked the Whipfist downward, the Flyer coming with it. The creature hit the ground hard, its insides splattering over the floor. Tentacles reached out from Siren's body, grabbing the Flyer and pulling it towards him. He stepped back as he consumed the creature, its biomass being added to his own.

Immediately, he felt rejuvenated, his body healing to a greater extent, now that it had more biomass to use. He allowed his arms to transform into his Hammerfists, and then swung around to face Craig, who was rising to his feet.

"Damn it. It took a hell of a lot of time to create Flyers like them. You just _had_ to go and consume them, didn't you?"

Siren said nothing and dashed forward, drawing his right fist so far back that it ended up dragging across the floor. He threw his arm forward, and the momentum carried his entire body forward as a single, massive projectile.

Craig tried to dive out of the way, but was unable to clear Siren's area of attack. Craig was blown off his feet as Siren landed on a few feet in front of him. Siren's arms began changing one more, and his Hammerfists were replaced by masses of black tentacles with oversized, human-like hands.

Siren lifted his fists over his head before bringing them together, his knuckles pounding against each other. Since his arms and fists were enhanced by his Muscle Mass, the force generated by the attack was enough to send Craig flying back once more.

Craig jumped up, and ran forward, swinging his Claws wildly at Siren. Siren dodged him for the first few swings before catching Craig by the wrists and head butting him as hard as he could. Since Craig's bones were strengthened by the REDLIGHT virus, his skull didn't shatter, but the attack still forced him backwards, disorienting and confusing him.

Siren dived forward and landed on his side in front of Craig. He spun around on the ground, outstretching his leg and swiping Craig's legs out from under him.

Siren jumped back quickly rising to his feet. Just as Craig began standing up, Siren ran forward and grabbed Craig's Claws. With the Muscle Mass adding to his already tremendous strength, he jerked Craig's Claws down. Craig's arm bent the wrong way at the elbow, and Siren heard a satisfying *crack* as the bones snapped. That was one of Craig's major flaws. He still had bones.

Craig's eyes widened and he let out a roar. He fell to his knees and looked up at Siren. His eyes were full of hatred, and his face was contorted in fury.

"You, *pant*, little, *pant*, BITCH!"

Siren let go of Craig's Claws and grabbed the sides of the tan man's head.

"Remember," Siren began with a serious expression. "The one who killed you was the one you were modeled after. Enjoy the afterlife you cheap fake."

With that, pressed his hands together as hard as he could. After a few seconds, Craig's skull could take no more, and the bone shattered under Siren's grip. Craig's body immediately became a mass of writhing red tentacles. Black tentacles shot from Siren's body, wrapping around the mass and absorbing it into him. After a few seconds of this, the red mass had been completely absorbed by Siren, and he threw his head back as memories began flashing through his mind.

***Page Break***

** "Why are we talking through the phone? What's wrong with meeting you in person?" It was Craig. He was on the phone. **

** "Because, if someone were to gain your memories, they would know my identity. That is a most undesirable outcome," replied a voice through the phone. The voice sounded warped and strange; clearly the owner was trying to conceal his real voice by using technology or maybe something else, to change it.**

** "Fine, fine, I get it. I still don't see why you think Mercer will consume me."**

** "You underestimate him. He is not some child like you think. This isn't his first form. However, it is an original form. Think of it as an…adaption to the situation he was in at the time."**

** "I have no clue what you're talking about. Second form? Adaption? You wanna explain to me what the heck you're talking about?"**

** "That is for me to know, for Siren to find out, and for you to forget…for now. By the way, when you see Siren, comment on his 'new body'."**

** "What? Why? I don't even know what that's supposed to mean!"**

** "You're not meant to know what it means. It's supposed to be a lead for Siren to follow. I need him to make this connection."**

** Craig frowned. "If it's a lead you're trying to give him, why not explain to him what you know now?"**

** "You think he would believe me? No, of course not. Besides, following this lead will lead him on a quest of sorts. Making this connection might change his views on the situation at hand, and it would be easier to persuade him to join us. The effect wouldn't be the same if I just went out and told him."**

** "Fine, I guess that makes sense. So, my job is to convince him to join us? Is that all?"**

** "Essentially, yes. I've taken the liberty of having an ally of mine hack into a few airports to locate Siren. We found him posing as a pilot. He stole a small plane and is on his way to Academy City. That is where we are sending you. The best, discreet way to get Siren's attention is to commit acts of murder. I don't care who you kill or how you kill them, just get Siren's attention and convince him."**

** "What if he won't come?"**

** "Use drastic measures to convince him. Killing his is not an option. If he can't be brought here alive; retreat. I won't blame you if you fail; I imagine it will be hard to convince him so soon."**

** Craig narrowed his eyes. "If it's so hard to convince him, why send me out now? Why not wait until he does this 'quest' of his to increase the chances?"**

** "It would take far too long for him to make the connection. He hid it well from himself, back when he had all his memories, and I want you to wet his appetite with a few short clues. We need to hook him on this so he can discover what he hid from himself."**

** Craig sighed. "Alright. So you're sure there is no consequence for me failing?"**

** A short chuckle emanated from the phone. "I never said that, now did I?"**

** "You said you wouldn't get mad at me if I failed," growled Craig.**

** "I won't. If you fail to turn Siren into an ally, you'll have to deal with him, not me."**

***Page Break***

Siren stumbled back as the memory ended. Frederick Craig. That was Craig's full name. The man had disobeyed a direct order, and attempted to kill Siren. The amount of information answered some of his questions, but raised several more. Whoever Craig's boss was, he was a clever creature. He made sure the amount of information Craig possessed would only clue Siren as to what he had to do, never actually giving him the whole picture.

Siren's expression hardened as a single word came to mind.

Regurgitation.

The power that Craig used to vomit up the Flyers was called regurgitation. It was, essentially, the opposite of consumption. It only worked on creatures that were infected with the REDLIGHT or BLACKLIGHT viruses as far as Craig knew, but that didn't mean that wouldn't change.

It worked by absorbing an Infected, but instead of adding its biomass to his own, he had to liquefy the creature, and store it in his body. If he wished, he could expel the creature from his body within the next four days, and it could rampage wherever it wanted to. The problem was, Siren couldn't control that which he regurgitated.

Craig only had the ability to control the Flyers because he had established dominance over the _before_ he consumed them and stored them in his body. As for the Leader Hunter, Siren's original hypothesis was true. Craig had no control over it.

Siren shook his head. Regurgitation could wait, right now, he had one goal.

_Mikoro._

***Page Break***

Mikoro shivered as she sat in the corner. It had been some time since Craig left, and she had heard the sounds of…_something_ shrieking from a few rooms over. The shrieking was inhumane, and sent chills downs Mikoro's spine. She didn't want to find out what was in the other room. She may have been a curious and determined girl, but she was in no mood to die just yet.

Although, as things stood now, she had no control over her life. She had been kidnapped, and forced into something she didn't understand. She was confused, frustrated, scared, and hungry. If only—

Something hit the door.

Mikoro's eyes widened as something began ripping the door from its hinges. The door was still locked, but whatever lay beyond it was coming _in._

She held back tears as the door was ripped open, and the silhouette of dark, humanoid figure appeared in the doorway. The light from the hallway lamps caused her eyes to water since she spent so much time in this dark, dreary room. She shut her eyes as the creature stepped forward. Part of her told her to look up, to see the face of her soon-to-be killer.

But it didn't matter. She didn't want to open her eyes. Perhaps this was a nightmare. A horrible nightmare and she would wake up any second now. Perhaps…

"Mikoro."

Mikoro's eyes snapped open. That voice! It couldn't be him!

"Mikoro? It's me; Siren. I swear I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe now; I'm here to get you out."

Mikoro looked up. Before her stood Siren Mercer, dressed in black shoes, blue jeans, a white hoodie, and a black leather jacket. The oddest thing was his arms though. They were masses of _black tentacles_, and his hands were far larger than that of any human.

"Mikoro I knew you're confused, but please, understand that it's still me."

Mikoro stared at Siren as he moved closer. She flinched away as he moved his hands forward, the tentacles moving around and resettling as his arms and hands seemed to revert to normal. He then yanked the chains from the wall and grabbed the ones wrapped around her waist and pulled them apart like strings.

Mikoro's hands flew up to her mouth and she yanked the tape off. She breathed in through her mouth, coughing slightly. Afterwards, she looked over to Siren, his face a mask of concern.

…

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE AN ESPER?!"

Siren blinked. "Huh?"

"I asked you when I first met you if you were an esper! You said you weren't! And now you're walking around with…with whatever the heck that was! Siren, what the heck is going on?! Why did you lie to me? Don't…don't you trust me?" She practically whispered the last words, her eyes downcast.

Siren appeared stunned for a while, before speaking. "Mikoro, I do trust you. That's why I _didn't _tell you. You're one of the few people I can honestly trust, and I didn't want you to get roped into this mess. If you knew more about me than I had told you, you could have become a target. I didn't want to throw you in harm's way."

Mikoro felt her face burn. The thought of Siren caring for her brought the blood to her cheeks.

"Y—yeah well, look where we are now," she said. "It appears that whoever that guy was, he knew I was your friend and kidnapped me. He said something about using me as leverage to get you to join him."

Siren narrowed his eyes. "Craig figured out that you were a friend of mine. He targeted you to get to me."

Mikoro sighed before looking up at Siren. "Explain."

"Look, Mikoro, this information is sensitive. If I tell you, you would never be able to live your life the same way again. You could become a target for more than just the Evolved or any of the other Infected."

"Evolved? Infected? Siren, I've already been dragged into this. I understand that you wanted to keep me out of it, and I appreciate your concern, but I'm already involved! I may not have asked for it, but here I am, so please, tell me what's going on!"

Siren stood still for a moment, seemingly thinking it over.

"Are you aware of what happened at New York a year ago?"

Mikoro blinked, thinking back to what might have transpired in New York. "Uh, wasn't there a viral outbreak of sorts? Something caused by terrorists?"

"There were no damn terrorists," hissed Siren. "The virus wasn't from a natural outbreak, it was a damn _bioweapon_ made by government organizations. The release of the virus in the city was not anticipated, but the government had to blame _someone._"

Mikoro's eyes widened. "A bioweapon? The virus was a _bioweapon_?!"

Siren nodded. "The organizations who created the virus were Gentek and Blackwatch. The original virus was called REDLIGHT."

Mikoro audibly gulped. The name sounded menacing, and after reading about the effects of the New York outbreak, she knew that the virus was no joke. However, she now questioned whether or not what she read was true. For all she knew, it could be worse.

"The original virus was injected into test subjects in a place called Hope, Idaho, on June 11, 1964. Long story short, the virus created a horde of zombies, but the virus' affects took time to manifest. In 1969, a military force from Fort Detrick that was known as Blackwatch had to step in and destroy the town and its infected residents. However, the big problem was that one woman, Elizabeth Greene, had become the perfect host for the virus. REDLIGHT thrived within her body, giving her superhuman abilities. She even had a child during that time. Elizabeth Greene was codenamed MOTHER, and her child was called PARIAH."

By now, Mikoro was pale enough to make Dracula look tan by comparison. A zombie virus? Government organizations? Destroyed towns? Survivors that became perfect hosts for that zombie virus? How had this all been kept hidden from the public?

"Elizabeth Greene was taken by the government, and PARIAH was classified as beyond top secret. Hope, Idaho was completely destroyed by Blackwatch, but research on REDLIGHT continued. After a few decades, Gentek scientists developed a new strain. Using the DNA samples collected from Elizabeth Greene, they were able to create a new virus from REDLIGHT. The new virus was dubbed BLACKLIGHT. This new virus was different from REDLIGHT. REDLIGHT could turn people into zombies, but BLACKLIGHT just _killed._ The death rate for BLACKLIGHT was actually _higher_ than REDLIGHT."

Siren crossed his arms as his eyes narrowed. "Then, everything went wrong. In New York, a rouge scientist stole a vial of BLACKLIGHT, and when cornered by the authorities, he smashed the vial, at Penn Station. The virus broke out, and the outbreak had begun."

"Do you know that scientist's name?"

"Alex. Alex Mercer."

Mikoro's eyes widened. "Is…is he your relative?"

Siren shrugged. "Alex and I are definitely connected. I just don't know how yet." He neglected to tell her that he seemed to posses some of Alex's memories. Why he had them, he didn't yet know.

Mikoro nodded her head and motioned for Siren to continue.

Siren began pacing as he continued to speak. "I wasn't present for the first part of the outbreak, but I do know bits and pieces of what happened. Elizabeth Greene somehow broke out, and began spreading the REDLIGHT virus. She infected everything she touched, building an army of mutants. Somehow, she was able to lead them. Despite the power she wielded, somebody managed to kill Greene, but I have no idea who. As I said before, I wasn't present for the first portion of the outbreak. By the time I came along, almost all of the Blackwatch soldiers and Gentek scientists who were present at the time were dead. I spent several weeks in New York, trying to find out who I was. Sadly, it was too late. The civilians had already been evacuated, and everyone who was left behind succumbed to the virus. It was weeks before reinforcements from Blackwatch and the U.S military arrived, but by then, I was long gone."

"So if I went to New York, I'd find the bodies of, what, hundreds of civilians who were left behind?!" Mikoro practically spat the words, disgusted with the men and women who would dare create such a horrid weapon.

"No… no, you would find the corpses of _thousands_ in New York. The problem is, they would be _walking_ around and attacking anything that's not infected."

Mikoro's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe this was all kept so well hidden! "So, where do you fit in, Siren?"

Siren sighed. "I don't remember anything about the first portion of the outbreak, but here's what I know. I know Blackwatch tried to drop a nuclear bomb on the Manhattan to try and destroy any and all traces of the viruses. I also know that someone or something stopped them. Despite their failure, the REDLIGHT virus began dying. _Something_ was killing it _and _Blackwatch. However, the outbreak inexplicably shot up again. Death rates skyrocketed, and the military was forced to retreat and evacuate everyone that they could. Apparently, traces of the BLACKLIGHT virus still existed in the city. The BLACKLIGHT virus somehow _consumed_ portions of REDLIGHT, and began mutating, gaining abilities similar to REDLIGHT. The BLACKLIGHT virus could now spawn Infected at any point. As long as there was something to infect, BLACKLIGHT could do it. This is what revived the outbreak in the first place."

He paused. "It was during the second portion of this outbreak that I was 'born'. I remember waking up in what looked like a makeshift hospital with no memories. I found computers full of complex data, machines designed to work with microscopic organisms, and there was one more thing worth mentioning that I found; a note. It told me that having no memories was normal, and that whatever I did, never trust Blackwatch or Gentek. The note told me that my name was Siren Mercer, and that somebody named Dana was a friend."

"Whoa," breathed Mikoro. "All that, when you only just woke up? That's crazy."

Siren nodded. "As I made my way outside, I discovered that I possessed certain…abilities. I could change my form, take the shape of anyone. That and I could steal their memories."

Mikoro cocked her head. "How does that work?"

Siren closed his eyes. "Mikoro, remember I told you I wasn't an esper?"

She nodded.

"I wasn't lying." He paused before continuing. "I'm not an esper Mikoro, that classification refers to humans."

Mikoro paled. "W-w-wait, you don't mean…"

Siren nodded. "I'm not human, Mikoro. I'm the BLACKLIGHT virus."

Mikoro took several steps back; the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.

Siren held his hands up quickly, attempting to calm the girl. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! Let me explain! I may be the BLACKLIGHT virus, but I'm not a mindless harbinger of destruction. Look, I am a _sapient_ offshoot of the BLACKLIGHT virus. I have my own thoughts, my own goals, and my own sense of right and wrong. I don't run around murdering humans for the heck of it. I'm not your enemy Mikoro, I'm you friend."

Mikoro seemed to calm down slightly. "You…you're really not human?"

Siren nodded. Mikoro stood there for several seconds, before bursting out laughing. Siren took a step back in surprise at her actions.

"This…this is so cool! I'm actually talking with a sapient _virus_! A sapient being that's not human! Can you imagine how many scholars and scientists would want to speak with you?!"

"Um, I was sorta always too busy to worry about stuff like that."

Mikoro shook her head. "You could be the single, most important discovery of the century!"

Siren narrowed his eyes. "Mikoro, I'm not something to be _studied._ I may be a virus, but I still have a mind and a conscious. I'm not going to sit there and let people poke and prod at me."

Mikoro's gaze snapped to the floor, her face a bright red. "S—sorry! I, I guess I just got carried away there, you know?"

Siren sighed, before a thought struck him. "Hey listen, I'm glad you believe me, but, I'm curious, why were you so easily convinced? I understand that this is hard to swallow, but you seem to be taking it well."

Mikoro grinned sheepishly. "Well, the truth is, I was involved in an…experiment. Nothing as crazy as what you just told me though."

Siren frowned. "You plan on explaining this, correct?"

Mikoro nodded. "Now, what were you saying? Something about gaining the memories of others?"

Siren sighed before opening his mouth once more to explain to Mikoro his origins and abilities.

***Page Break***

"So, Craig was unable to convince Siren to join us?"

"Yes sir. Craig is…no longer with us."

"I see. Well, that is acceptable. He was always a bit rash. Besides, he _did_ disobey my orders, and attempted to kill Siren. On the bright side, Siren now has more pieces of the puzzle that shows how he is connected with Alex Mercer."

"How do you think he'll react when he…_finds out_?"

"Oh, I'm sure it will come as a shock to him. His connection with Alex Mercer is probably not what he expects."

"In all fairness, for a while, nobody suspected it for quite some time. Not you, not me, _nobody_."

"Well yes, that is correct. Alex Mercer _was_ quite clever in carrying out his plan. Do you think Siren will agree with those actions when he figures it all out?"

"I believe so. It's only natural that he would agree with…"

The speaker's voice was drowned out by the sound of someone screaming as an Evolved plunged a hand into their chest in the room next door.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Back Story: So as some of you have figured out, I changed up and added to the [Prototype] storyline to make Siren's past a bit more shrouded. I kept the main plot points intact, but added to the storyline. For example, in [Prototype] the outbreak never spiked like it did in this fanfic. Also, I think the virus that overtook the city in Prototype 2 was an evolved BLACKLIGHT that had REDLIGHT characteristics. In the first game, the virus overtaking New York was mostly REDLIGHT. I decided to blend the two to create a reason for the outbreak to spike once more. I know that it may seem a bit confusing at first, but don't worry, more explanations will be in the following chapters. Besides, this **_**is**_** supposed to be a 'mystery' fanfic :)**

** Siren's Explanation: Siren's explanation to Mikoro will be concluded in the next chapter. I figured you guys would get bored if I kept him talking for so long without any action/comedy/etc. to go along with it.**

** Flyers: In Prototype 2, Flyers were crows that were infected with the BLACKLIGHT virus. However, I found early concept art that depicted them as winged, Infected humans. I thought the idea was pretty cool, and decided to incorporate it into this fanfic.**

** REDLIGHT: So in case anyone was wondering, REDLIGHT was the first virus that was created, and it was the virus that infected the residents of Hope, Idaho, and the same one that resided within Elizabeth Greene and PARIAH.**

** Frederick Craig vs. Siren Mercer: I know the fight was not that long, but in Prototype 2, when you fight against Evolved, the battle usually isn't very long. I wanted to show that, if anything, Siren was more powerful, but I also wanted to show that Craig wasn't weak. **

** Regurgitation: This ability appeared briefly in [Prototype], but was never named. I decided to name the power regurgitation, and decided to see what I could do with it. To be honest, I think it turned out quite well :) **

** Mikoro's Reaction: I wanted to show that Mikoro was into science, and finding out about what Siren really was would immediately fuel her inner scientist, and cause her to act like an excited little fan girl in front of him. Besides, Siren is not meant to be a sociopathic villain, but with so few people to turn to for help, he might have become that, so I had to make sure there were people in his life that he cared for to keep him from being that 'lonely guy who has no friends and became a bloodthirsty killer'. So, I gave Mikoro all the more reasons to stick by Siren. **

** What's Next?: Siren makes some friends! Oh, and Mikoto will soon find out that she isn't the only powerful teenager in Academy City heh heh heh.**

**(A/N) I know that this fanfic takes lots of inspiration from Prototype 2, but like I said, the time period is after the events of [Prototype], but treated as though Prototype 2 never occurred.**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PROTOTYPE, PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!**

**Hey guys! So the end of the school year is upon us! I'm sure we all know what that means; finals! Yay…Anyway, besides the tests and whatnot, we have lots of other crap to do, so expect possible chapter delay in the future. Once June comes around, I'll be free, which means; more chapters! OORAAAH! But hey, you guys came to (hopefully) read A Certain Sapient Virus, so here it is; Chapter 6! Oh, but first…**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: There is a very important Explanations/Clarifications section today. It will outline my views on how Siren stacks up against espers in this fanfic. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read that section to avoid future confusion.**

**Chapter 6**

**New Friends**

Mikoro hugged her legs to her chest as she sat upon her sofa. She was currently in her apartment, attempting to digest the information presented to her by Siren Mercer. What he told her was…terrifying.

The thought of weapons as powerful as the BLACKLIGHT and REDLIGHT viruses even existing was enough to send shivers down her spine. But if the viruses weren't enough, an offshoot of one of them was _sapient._ A few hours ago, Siren had saved her from the twisted creature she now knew as Craig, after which he had explained everything to her. Well, not exactly everything. Somehow, Mikoro just _knew_ that Siren hadn't told her everything.

At first, she had been baffled by his very existence. He was, after all, a virus, and she was a girl of science. The thought of actually conversing with a virus as if it were human would be enough to excite any scientist. One can only imagine how excited she was, having unknowingly befriended such a creature.

However, as his explanation continued, she began realizing just how dangerous and powerful Siren was. He had told her that he possessed shape shifting abilities, superhuman strength, speed, and senses, and had countless other abilities. But as she listened, she realized that all his abilities were geared toward slaughtering his enemies. It shouldn't have been a surprise; he was a bioweapon created to wipe out nations. The fact that he had sapience was an "accident", according to him.

Even though she knew he was, essentially, a weapon that could think for itself, she was still shocked at the abilities he supposedly possessed. He had told her that he could gain another creature's memories, and while the prospect astounded her, she was horrified at how he went about acquiring those memories. Siren literally _ate_ people to get their memories. He referred to it as "consuming", but that did nothing to calm her after she found out.

She sighed as she leaned back. She had called Touma shortly after Siren dropped her off in order to tell the unlucky teen that she was ok. Touma had pressed her for more detailed answers, but she had informed him that her captor had must have hit her over the head and she faked partial amnesia. She knew that lying was wrong, but she felt as though she had no right to spread the secrets entrusted to her by Siren. At least, until he gave her an answer to her offer.

_Please, just please say yes. You need this Siren…_

***Page Break***

Siren sat upon the roof of a store as he thought over what Mikoro had told him. She had explained to him her origins. How she was part of a program to make the first Level 6 esper. She told him how she was a clone of Misaka Mikoto, in terms of appearance of course. He had been shocked at first, but quickly adjusted as he realized that he had seen crazier experiments. He was still surprised, especially by the fact that Mikoro and Mikoto were actually _friends._ He knew that if someone tried cloning him, he'd kill the clone in seconds.

However, it wasn't the cloning experiment that got to him. It was Mikoro's offer.

_"Listen Siren, you can't do this alone!"_

_ Siren looked over his shoulder to Mikoro, who was desperately clutching onto his back. His feet hit another rooftop, and he catapulted himself into the air, Mikoro yelping as he did so._

_ "Mikoro, I appreciate you wanting to help me but—"_

_ "Siren, if what you told me is true, then someone is messing with the viruses. You said that Craig's body had been pumped full of a portion of REDLIGHT that had BLACKLIGHT's characteristics. I know you and I are both thinking the same thing; someone is modifying the REDLIGHT virus! The entire WORLD could be at stake here!"_

_ "Mikoro, I've told you what REDLIGHT could do to people, what it could turn them into. I will not throw you into the mix, only to watch REDLIGHT mutate you into a mindless animal."_

_ "Siren, you might be facing more than just REDLIGHT, BLACKLIGHT, and whoever is messing with them! You might face off against espers! Look, I can help you! I may not look like it, but I can! Touma could help you too! He's the best anti-esper there is!_

_ Siren blinked. "Pardon?" He reached out with his right foot and kicked off another building as he leapt through the air towards Mikoro's home._

_ "Touma has the ability to cancel out esper powers with nothing more than a touch! He could save you a lot of time if you fight an esper!"_

_ "What's the ability called?"_

_ "Imagine Breaker."_

_ Siren frowned. "I've heard rumors of a Level 0 who could cancel out esper powers. Is this Touma the one the rumors are about?"_

_ "Yes! Look, I said it before, I'll say it again; you can't do this alone. Let me help you. We could form a team of more than just us. I know you don't trust people, but you trust me right?"_

_ After a moment's hesitation, Siren nodded._

_ "Then you know I won't lead you into a trap of any sort! I could help you form a team to back you up! Your enemy can mutate anyone they want to in order to create armies! You don't have an army at your disposal, but you can have a team. You'd be surprised at the difference a team can make when they work together. Think about it…please."_

_ The two landed on the roof of the apartment complex. Siren stepped over the edge, landing on the walkway that wrapped around the upper level of the building. He set Mikoro down in front of the door to her home._

_ "Please Siren. I just want to help…"_

Siren sighed as he thought about it more and more. It did make sense. His enemy did posses the ability to create Evolved such as Craig. Worst case scenario; the enemy has an army of Evolved and can spawn more at any time. Siren was powerful, but not arrogant. He wasn't stupid enough to think that he could take an army of Evolved on all by himself.

The more and more he thought about it, the more sense Mikoro's words made. He trusted her, and she trusted this Touma character. If Siren did run into any espers, it would be nice to know he had someone who could take care of them while Siren focused on the bigger threat.

He still had his doubts, but he thought that maybe, just maybe, he could give this ago.

_But if anyone tries to backstab me, the end of the world will seem peaceful in comparison to what I'll do to them._

His expression hardening, Siren stepped toward the edge of the building.

***Page Break***

"When I get my hands on that slimy little…," Mikoto muttered to herself. That weird tentacle esper had been in hiding ever since she met him! She had looked and looked, but he had just vanished!

She couldn't find him _anywhere_! What was that monster he was fighting? What powers did he posses? Why was that hulking monstrosity in the city? How did it get there? Nothing made sense! How could someone who had a power that stuck out like a sore thumb be able to hide so well?! How had he avoided the media when he possessed such unusual powers?!

"You're order, Miss?"

Mikoto whirled around to face the speaker. She quickly realized that it was the waiter, and she felt her face burn as she realized he had waited patiently for her to finish her mental rant. The anger must have been evident on her face for the waiter to realize the kind of mood she was in. "Ehh, I'll have some tea for now."

"Very well. What kind?"

Mikoto looked over the menu one last time and selected her choice. The waiter nodded and turned around to go get Mikoto her order. As she waited, she thought about the strange teen's appearance. His face didn't look Japanese to her; in fact, he looked rather European.

"Your drink, Miss."

Mikoto blinked in surprise. "That was fast," she commented.

The waiter bowed slightly. "We have few customers tonight. It makes it easier to serve because there is less orders to fill."

Mikoto nodded. "Thank—"

It was then that she heard a loud noise and felt the ground shake slightly. The few other customers in the building yelped and dropped to the floor, covering their heads and the heads of their children.

Mikoto jumped up and sprinted toward the door. She had been jumpy ever since her encounter with the strange esper, and now, whenever something out of the ordinary happened, she jumped at the chance to investigate in hopes of finding the tentacle esper.

"Ahh, Miss? Your tea, you still must pay!"

"I'll get it in a minute! This is important!"

With that, Mikoto barreled through the front door, scaring a few stray birds from their nests. She skidded to a halt as she saw a small crater in the ground. She quickly scanned the area before she noticed a figure jogging away from the crater.

She quickly took off after the figure. She didn't know who the person was, but she was dead set on finding out. Just as she began closing in on the figure, the person whirled around to face her. She didn't understand how he, she could now tell he was male, had detected her so quickly but—

_Wait…THAT'S HIM!_

"YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Mikoto ran toward him before stopping a few feet in front of him. He wore black shoes, blue jeans, a grey hoodie and a large black vest. However, he made no move to cover his face, and Mikoto recognized him instantly. The same large, grey eyes stared at her. She remembered the look on his face when he collided with her during his fight with the…whatever that thing was.

With the moonlight illuminating the area, Mikoto saw that the teen had a head of silver, short, messy hair. His hood was pulled back revealing his face in greater detail. The skin was pale, very pale. Frankly, Mikoto figured this guy must have spent very little time basking in the sun to have skin so pale.

He raised an eyebrow as he looked her up and down, recognition instantly dawning in his eyes. If he felt intimidated by Mikoto's prescense, he didn't show it.

"Oh, it's you again. Is there a reason you're bothering me right now?"

"You and I need to talk! What the heck was that thing you were fighting back there?"

The silver-haired teen crossed his arms. "That's for me to know and for you to never find out," he responded.

"That's too bad. I'd be lying if I said I was hoping to avoid a fight, but you've given me no choice but to beat the answers out of you."

The male teen frowned. "You know, you seem like the warmonger type; always raring for a fight. You barely even tried negotiating with me on this matter."

"I'm not in the mood for negotiations," Mikoto growled. "I've lost my patience with you."

"Hard to believe you had patience to begin with," retorted the silver-haired teen.

"Hmm. You know, there's a name for people like you, people who tick me off like this."

The teen raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what might that name be?"

Mikoto smiled. "Morons."

He rolled his eyes. "You must think pretty highly of yourself if you think that anyone who annoys you is immediately branded a moron, as if you're never in the wrong. Have I personally done anything that directly harmed you? I don't see why you're chasing after me. As far as I know, I don't care about you, you shouldn't care about me; we're not friends, we're not enemies."

Mikoto frowned. "I have questions, you have answers. Simple as that. Now, I'll ask again; what was that giant thing from before?"

"Now, _I'll_ say it again; IT"S NONE OF YOUR BUISINESS."

Mikoto gritted her teeth. This guy was infuriating! "If you don't give me an answer, I'll just beat it out of you!" Electricity sparked around her forehead and she took a combat stance.

Immediately, the teen's eyes narrowed. He took a step forward, directly into the shadow of a tree. With the tree's shadow casted over him, and the moon behind him, Mikoto found herself staring at a dark silhouette with eerie eyes that seemed to emit a silver glow.

"You know, there's a name for what you're doing here; challenging me to one on one combat."

Mikoto smirked. "Oh really, and what might this name be?"

His expression darkened and he took another step forward.

"Suicide."

***Page Break***

Touma frowned as he recalled the story Mikoro told him. He had no reason to doubt that she had partial amnesia, heck, he had experienced something similar in the past, but he was still worried about where Mikoro's kidnapper might be. She told him that somebody saved her, but she never said anything about the kidnapper being handed over to the authorities.

Whoever that guy was, he had leapt hundreds of feet into the air like it was nothing, all while carrying a girl in his arm. He clearly wasn't normal, not even close. Touma was concerned for his friends as well. Would this guy target them as well? Knowing Touma's luck, this was far from over.

He sighed. "Such misfortune," he breathed.

***Page Break***

Siren was not happy. His current opponent was a friend of his friend. In simpler terms, he couldn't kill Mikoto without jeopardizing his friendship with Mikoro. He didn't have many people he could call friend, heck, Mikoro was the only one right now, and he didn't want to lose her.

_Alright, all I have to do is intimidate Mikoto. Strip her of her will to fight me, and she'll have to stop. If she's too afraid to face me, she won't be a problem in the future._

He began walking forward, preparing for whatever Mikoto might throw at him. The girl's eyes narrowed and she jumped back. She fired a beam of electricity at him, and he dodged to his right, avoiding the blast with ease. The blast itself was fast, but Mikoto's hand movements were slow compared to him. He could anticipate where she would shoot and act accordingly.

Mikoto seemed unfazed and fired another beam at him. He dodged this one too, this time jumping into the air and flipping backwards, landing a few meters from the girl. Her eyes widened slightly at his display of flexibility and reaction time. Once more, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she fired another beam at him. He sidestepped this one like it was moving no faster than a running human.

"Stop dodging and take this like a man!"

Siren dropped to the ground as a beam flew past his head, a slight smirk on his face.

_That's right. Get angry, throw out your best attacks and see just how useless they are._

Since his body lacked a heart and was resistant to heat, lightning posed virtually no threat to him. Mikoto could fire as many shots as she wanted at him, but it would be useless in the end. He rolled out of the way as another one of Mikoto's attacks sailed past him.

"I have to admit, for a little girl, you sure posses a dangerous weapon. Well, dangerous to the average person, not to me."

"Shut up! I am not a little girl, and you'll see just how dangerous I am to you soon enough you pervert!"

Siren raised an eyebrow. "Pervert? What makes you think I find you attractive enough to try and do anything perverted? You're nothing special, and I couldn't care less about romance or anything along the lines of that."

"You groped me before!" yelled Mikoto.

Siren rolled his eyes. "I saved your life from that thing earlier. If it bothers you this much, I promise, next time I'll just point and laugh as you get torn apart instead of trying to help you."

He dodged another beam of electricity from Mikoto. He jumped toward a building, small tentacles shooting from his hands and feet, anchoring him to the wall. "If you aim like this during every fight, I seriously don't see how you hold the title of the third ranked Level 5 esper in Academy City."

Mikoto's face fell, her bangs covering her eyes. "Shut up," she whispered.

"SHUT UP!"

She fired another blast of electricity at him, which he dodged by jumping off the building wall. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING ME! EVERYONE WANTS POWER, BUT NOBODY WANTS THE RESPONSIBILITES THAT COMES WITH IT! PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT TO BECOME LEVEL 5's BUT NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE THAT WAY!"

Siren frowned. He was having trouble understanding what Mikoto was getting at.

"BEING A LEVEL 5 MEANS PEOPLE ALWAYS EXPECT SOMETHING FROM YOU! I'VE DEALT WITH THE WORST KIND OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO WANTED POWER! I'VE SEEN THE MOST TWISTED EXPERIMENTS YOU CAN IMAGINE!"

She kept firing off shots at Siren and he kept dodging them with ease.

"SO NEVER, NEVER TELL ME I DON'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LEVEL 5 ESPER WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEVEL 5 ESPER!"

Understanding dawned on Siren's face. In a way, he understood Mikoto. Power came with a price. People will stop at nothing to gain power, often times, trying to strip it from others. He had seen things that would drive most people insane; things that were the result of someone trying to gain power in the form of a bioweapon. When Mikoto said she had seen twisted experiments, she must have been referring to the Level 6 esper experiment Mikoro was talking about earlier.

She knew the curse of power, but she didn't know how horrible it could truly be.

_Mikoto and I are not so different. She has power, and she knows that it comes with a price. In a way, we can relate to each other. The difference is; Mikoto is an esper. She's been accepted into this society. I will always be feared by others. Humanity hates that which is different from it. I will never be human, nor will humanity ever accept me. I've seen what the curse of power can really lead to, she hasn't._

"STAND STILL YOU MONKEY!"

Siren frowned. He had no desire to drag this fight out, so he decided that it was time to make his point. He jumped to the ground, several meters in front of Mikoto. He spread his arms out as if expecting a hug.

"One free shot. That's all you get. If you can't end this fight with your next shot, you're finished."

Mikoto's widened, before immediately narrowing. "If you still think I lack the power to finish this, the why don't I introduce you to a little something I like to call; the Railgun."

Siren almost smiled at her words. He was finally going to see Mikoto's famous attack. If he could somehow show her how useless her ultimate attack was against him, he could break her fighting spirit. His eyes narrowed in concentration as an idea came to mind. He began pumping biomass into his mouth, hardening the inside of it and strengthening his teeth.

Meanwhile, Mikoto had pulled out a coin and was balancing it on her right thumb. Electricity began sparking around her right arm as she aimed it at Siren. He knew she wouldn't kill him. More than likely, she wanted to force him to dodge, that way she could use less lethal attacks to subdue him while he was preoccupied. Even if she wanted to kill him, the Railgun wasn't nearly enough to actually put Siren down for the count. Not even close.

"I'm sure you've heard of it, it's a technique I use against people who are either really powerful, or have really ticked me off! Even something small like this coin can pack a powerful punch when launched at three times the speed of sound."

"You're welcome to try. Just don't expect too much."

"Heh, I hope you're ready!"

With that Mikoto fired the coin at insane speeds. The coin headed straight for Siren's face. He smirked. He couldn't wait to see the look on Mikoto's face when she saw what he had planned. As the coin rapidly approached his face, Siren opened his mouth…

***Page Break***

"NO!"

_HE DIDN'T MOVE! WHY DIDN'T HE MOVE?!_

Mikoto was horrified. The strange teen had made no attempt to move, resulting in the coin colliding directly with his face. His head had snapped back abruptly, and Mikoto was sure he was dead. She couldn't bring herself to look away from his body. It was still standing with arms outstretched, but she was sure that there was no life left in that body.

She fell to her knees, her hands coming up to cradle her head. She didn't what to kill anybody, she just wanted answers! All this idiot had to do was dodge and she could have blasted him out of the sky. He would have been stunned, but not _dead._ She felt tears slowly streaming down her cheeks. She had just _killed_ someone. She had aimed and fired, she was responsible, she was a murderer.

Her head came up slowly as she heard something. It sounded like a body moving. She realized that the teen's body must be falling over, but she couldn't bring herself to look away. She looked up…

And her jaw dropped at what she saw.

The teen's head was slowly moving up. There was no massive hole in it or anything. It looked as though his head had merely snapped back from the impact.

_Why is there smoke coming from his mouth?_

Indeed, there was smoke escaping from in between his lips, but other than that, he looked unharmed. He even _smiled_ at her.

Suddenly, the realization hit her.

_No…he didn't…_

Sure enough, the teen spat out a smoking piece of metal. The metal was somewhat melted, but still held the vague shape of a coin.

Mikoto was at a complete loss for words. This…this esper had caught her Railgun _in his mouth._

"N-no way…"

The teen put his hands on his hips. "Espers; think they own the damn place. I have to admit though, that was a nice shot. You do pack quite a punch compared to the other espers I've met. Honestly, your power is just a poor match for mine. If you had a different set of abilities, you would have stood a far greater chance against me. However, lightning simply isn't effective against me."

"Wha-what _are _you?" Mikoto couldn't believe that he did that. In her anger, she had put far more power into the Railgun than she had intended. The fact that he caught it in his mouth set up warning flags in her mind faster than when she heard the crashes when that creature landed in the city streets.

"Mikoto, you may have power, you may have seen some pretty messed up things, but believe me, you have no idea what the curse of power truly is. I know about the Level 6 esper experiment. I know about Accelerator, I know about your clones. Trust me, none of that compares to the _shit_ I've seen."

Mikoto felt her heartbeat quicken. He knew about the experiment?! How?! When?! Who had told him?! But the thing that worried her most of all was his last statement. Was he implying that he had seen _worse _than that experiment?

"You have power, but you belong. You may have had experiences with corrupt scientists and twisted experiments, but have seen _nothing._ My very existence threatens your race. I've seen experiments that were geared to create the ultimate weapon. The Level 6 esper experiment tried to create the world's most powerful esper. Blackwatch and Gentek successfully created two of the deadliest weapons known to mankind. You might have friends and family who are attacked by people trying to find you, but I've had _three_ armies chasing me since I was _born_. You think you have it rough? Try being _me_."

Mikoto's eyes were as wide as saucers by this point. The story that this silver-haired teen was telling was something straight out of a nightmare. _Three armies? _He had three armies after him since he was born? No…no she couldn't believe it.

"The things I've seen are more than what you can imagine. Remember that creature you saw me fighting? It was once human. At one point in time, that monster was a human. That human could have had a family, he or she could have had friends, a love interest, goals, achievements they were proud of, they could have had a normal life. All that was taken away from them. They didn't deserve it, they didn't deserve to be turned into…_that_."

The teen took a step forward. "Do you want to know why you can't beat me? Because you're _only human._ You may be a Level 5 esper, but you have no idea what it means to be the Prototype. You know what it means to be human, but you have no idea what it means to be _me._"

With that, he turned around and began walking away. "I've spared your life because we share a mutual friend…and because I know what it feels like. I know what it feels like to have power, I know what it feels like when it seems as though everything goes against you. I know you've felt helplessness when facing Accelerator. I know you've had that which you love stolen from you. I don't need to kill you. You don't deserve to die. You've felt a pain similar to my own."

He spared a glance over his shoulder at her.

Mikoto felt her heart skip a beat. Before her stood someone who had experienced things she couldn't even dream of. For whatever reason, she had begun to _believe _him. His eyes held a sort of sadness. A sadness that comes from seeing a world of death and pain. She felt guilt building up inside her as she realized she had pressed him for answers without thinking why he might have been hiding them in the first place. Perhaps it was too painful to speak about?

He seemed to sense what she was thinking, because he spoke up again. "I've tried to keep this hidden so that your city might not suffer the same fate as my home. I didn't want to watch this place be reduced to a hellhole crawling with monstrosities straight from a horror movie. I need you to understand, _I am not your enemy._ I'm trying to destroy the weapons made by Blackwatch and Gentek before those weapons destroy the world. I'm not out to destroy this city, I'm not out to take over it, I'm not here to steal your lives away, I'm trying to prevent the end of the world."

He sighed. "I see no point in continuing this conversation; I've made my point. Look, just keep this quiet. Telling the authorities will attract attention that you _definitely _do not want. This is for your own good; forget what you saw."

The teen walked away, before jumping an incredible height, landing on the side of building and running up the wall, seemingly defying gravity to an extent. However, Mikoto was too stunned to comprehend that. The teen's words were sinking in. She had never met someone who understood that power wasn't all great. Accelerator may have been powerful, but he never looked at power the same way she did. Touma could cancel out powers, but he didn't have anything like that on his own. This guy…his views were different. He wasn't dead set on becoming more powerful, he was trying to destroy something that threatened the lives of billions.

She couldn't place a finger on it, but his words seemed true. She didn't totally understand why, but she sensed truth behind the words that escaped his mouth. She was swallowed in her own emotions, some of which were regret at her actions, fear at what was coming, but most of all, she felt determination. Determination to protect her friends and family. If this mysterious teen as trying to prevent the end of the world, why was she trying to stop him? Instead…

Her face hardened.

_I'm going to help him. He's not fighting this alone. If what he said is true, he's probably going to need help. I don't care how much stronger he thinks he is than me, I'm not weak and I'm not helpless. I won't stand by and watch as someone else fights for the future of this world._

Mikoto slowly hauled herself off the ground. She needed to find the whereabouts of the mysterious teen. If she wanted to help him, she'd need to know him on a personal level for them to be able to work together. She didn't know if he'd agree, but even if he didn't, she planned on fighting whatever force threatened to destroy the world.

She smiled as she thought of an old friend.

_Mikoro…_

Lacking any esper powers, Mikoro had dedicated a lot of time to computers and technology. She had become an excellent hacker, one of the best in the city.

If Mikoro hacked the security cameras littered throughout the city, finding the silver-haired teen would become that much easier.

Mikoto smiled as she started walking toward her clone's home.

"Ahh, Miss, you must pay for that tea…"

_Right after I pay this guy…_

***Page Break***

"I think I can live with it."

Mikoro broke out it a wide smile. "I knew it! I knew you would understand!" She started jumping around a little, giving physical form to her happiness at Siren's choice.

Siren frowned. "I still don't see why you're so happy about me allowing this. You're practically walking towards your own grave by joining me. I hope you do realize that if either of the viruses infected you, I won't be able to do anything to flush out the infection. You'll die."

Mikoro crossed her arms. "If you fail to destroy the viruses, they'll infect everyone. I'd rather die fighting than standing by, knowing that I let my friend walk off and face this alone," she said.

Siren had trouble finding a suitable reply. Nobody, save for this 'Dana' person he seemed to have memories of, had ever cared for his wellbeing. It was likely that Mikoro was the first, or second if Dana was truly a friend that could be trusted.

"Thanks…" was his short response.

Mikoro smiled. "What are friends for?"

"I wouldn't really know, I don't have very many, and the concept is a bit beyond me, even with the memories," Siren commented.

"Well, first things first, we have to call Touma. He's the perfect guy to fight off espers and magicians," said Mikoro.

Siren blinked. "Magicians?"

Mikoro's eyes widened. "That's right! I never told you about magicians, did I?"

Siren shook his head. The only things he knew about magicians was that they practiced fake magic in front of audiences. Smoke and mirrors were their game, money was their gain, so to speak.

"I'll explain later, but first, we have to call Touma, and then you can explain…yourself to him. Sorry, but I don't think I should be the one to tell him your story."

Siren sighed. He had a feeling this would happen. The problem with a team is that he had to explain to everyone in the group what was going on. That could take some time…

"How long will it take for Touma to get here?"

Mikoro cocked her head. "Siren, Touma lives three doors over…"

Siren blinked. "Oh."

***Page Break***

It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. One can tell a lot about a person by simply looking into their eyes…

When Touma looked into the eyes of the teen known as Siren Mercer, he saw a violent, yet powerful being. He didn't exactly know what Siren was, but his eyes didn't seem…_human._

"So…you're this Siren Mercer character that Mikoro was talking about."

Siren nodded. "In the flesh. You must be Touma. Mikoro gave me a little background information on you."

Touma nodded. "So, Mikoro," he made is way over to the sofa and sat down. "You called? You said it was something important and that it involved Siren here."

Mikoro nodded. "Touma, what you're about to here has to stay between you, me, Siren, and Index. If you choose to tell Index, make sure she knows that she _cannot_ spread this around."

Touma nodded. "I'm ready for anything."

Siren chuckled, causing Touma to raise an eyebrow. "I don't think you're ready for what I'm about to tell you, but here goes. Do you know what happened in New York City about a year ago?"

Touma blinked. "Uh, no?"

Both Siren and Mikoro face palmed.

***Page Break***

"Whoa," Touma whispered. Siren had just finished explaining the situation to Touma and now that the unlucky teen was up to speed on the situation, it was time for him to decide whether to help them or walk away.

"Man…that's crazy. To think that they could keep this so well under wraps…"

Siren nodded. "If there's anything Blackwatch and Gentek excel at, it's covering their tracks. Now, listen, you're not being forced to help. You're being offered a chance to join. I won't blame you if—"

"Are you kidding?! Of course I'll help! Whoever is screwing with these viruses is putting my friends in danger! This guy, or girl, needs to be stopped. Count me in!"

Siren was more than a little surprised by the boy's willingness to join, but hey, no use complaining, right? He smiled to himself.

"Hey quick question, if you're not an esper, does that mean that Imagine Breaker won't work on you?" asked Touma.

Siren shrugged. "I don't know. You're welcome to try."

Touma held out his right hand, and Siren stretched out his and firmly grasped the boy's hand.

…

Nothing happened. "Hmm, I guess you were right. Imagine Breaker has no control over you or your powers."

Siren shrugged. Touma's ability being useless against him was a good thing. Otherwise, he'd be in danger every time he came into contact with the boy. It would be awkward if Imagine Breaker just…canceled Siren out of existence.

Suddenly, Mikoro's hand fell on top of the hands of the two boys. "Sweet! Now I feels like we're a real team! How about a name for us? You know, how about..TEAM GEKOTA!"

…

"We're not calling ourselves that," Siren deadpanned.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Prototype vs. The Esper: The way I see it, a Level 5 esper (Accelerator for example) can dish out massive amounts of damage, close to what Siren can accomplish. Accelerator can kill someone just by touching them and reversing their blood flow, while Siren can kill someone by just punching them, and his superhuman strength would make short work of them. My point is, a powerful Level 5 esper could have a very powerful offense that comes close to Siren's offense. However, Siren is far more durable (he's a lot harder to kill than an esper). What I'm saying is that most espers/magicians/alchemists/etc. would have to put a lot of effort into the fight, but they'll only be able to damage Siren, seeing as he has no bones to break and no organs to damage (so lightning is almost useless against him). On the other hand, Siren, if he can get to his enemy, can kill most people with a single hit, including Accelerator. The problem is, he has to get to them. If his enemy can keep a good distance from him, they could probably survive the encounter. In any given Siren vs someone situation, that someone would probably lose, unless they're one of the Evolved. If Mikoto wanted to kill him, she would need absolutely massive amounts of lighting to kill him (because his body lacks a heart for her lightning to stop and he's resistant to heat). If Accelerator wanted to kill him, he'd probably have to throw several tons worth of debris and whatnot at Siren. If Siren wanted to kill someone, all he has to do is get close and it's game over for the other guy (if Siren lands a hit that is).**

** Mikoto's Reaction: Mikoto is one of those characters who will try to protect her family and friends from harm. Finding out that the world is in danger of being destroyed would throw up warning flags in her head pretty fast. Seeing as Siren is the first one to be fighting the global threat, the logical course of action would be to fight the threat as well. However, she had little information on the subject, so she has to find Siren and get him to explain.**

** Mikoro the Hacker: Ok, so if some of you may be upset that I have Mikoro playing the hacker/support role instead of Uiharu (from A Certain Scientific Railgun). I am sorry, but I haven't seen that anime or read the manga. I barely know her as a character, and I don't want to write her incorrectly. Besides, I won't want Mikoro playing a Sakura role (standing there being useless) in this fanfic. She needs to be able to contribute, and this is one way to get her involved without throwing her into the middle of the fight were she's likely to get killed.**

** Timeline in Relation to A Certain Magical Index: Basically, this fanfic takes place after the anime A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Magical Index II. I wanted to start there, so I hope nobody is disappointed. HOWEVER, this timeline of A Certain Magical Index is a little irrelevant because the arcs of this story will mostly be focused on OC antagonists and/or [Prototype] antagonists. So in reality, the [Prototype] timeline is what's really important here.**

**Siren's Speech: I wanted to humanize Siren (to an extent) in this fanfic, so I gave him his little 'heroic moment' when he explains to Mikoto that he's not her enemy. Make no mistake, Siren is an anti hero who kills whoever the heck he wants, but he's not a psychotic anti hero. I wanted to make it a bit easier to relate to him by making him seem a bit more 'human'.**

**Siren's Immunity to Electricity: Siren's body lacks bones and organs, so lightning wouldn't be able to stop his heart (which is how lightning usually kills people) and he has a pretty high resistance to heat and cold, so the heat of lightning wouldn't do much to him. In the first game, Alex Mercer was capable of building an immunity to things like the BloodTox, so I assumed he'd build an immunity to something like electricity after his battle with Cross. Using that kind of logic, I gave Siren an immunity to electricity, which must really suck for Mikoto.**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PROTOTYPE, PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!**

**Hey guys! Just a quick reminder, if you're ever confused on something, check at the bottom of each chapter in the Explanations/Clarifications section. If you're still confused on something even after reading that, then feel free to leave a comment (or review, whatever they're called) or PM me. I'm always happy to clarify :)**

**I know the disclaimers get old, but they must be done.**

**Chapter 7**

**Teammates**

Mikoto's path was bathed in moonlight as she made her way up the stairs toward Mikoro's apartment. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she thought about seeing Mikoro again. The first encounter between the two was very…awkward. It had taken some time for the two to really relax around each other, but the resulting friendship was well worth it.

It had been some time since Mikoto last saw Mikoro, and now she was going to see her again. The problem was that Mikoto had a pretty ridiculous request. Hacking the city's security cameras would put Mikoro at risk if she was caught. However, Mikoto knew that Mikoro's hacking abilities were nothing to laugh at. The chance of Mikoro actually being caught was one in a thousand, but Mikoto still felt a bit out of place asking Mikoro to do something like this out of the blue.

The door to Mikoro's apartment was now visible, a mere fifteen or so feet away. Mikoto gulped as she moved closer and closer. The door was now less than ten feet away. Mikoto franticly tried to think up something to start a conversation.

Five feet away. Perhaps she could comment on how beautiful the night was? Maybe talk about the recent news feeds about the monster in the streets from earlier?

Mikoto stepped in front of the door. She gulped. This was it, ready or not, it was time to talk to Mikoro. She held her breath as she knocked on the door.

***Page Break***

**A Dozen Minutes Earlier**

Mikoro smiled as she looked at the sight before her. Siren and Touma seemed to be having a conversation. It looked as though Touma was explaining the concept of magic and magicians to Siren, even though he rarely explained this to others, but Siren was a special case. The threat posed by the viruses was huge, and Siren was their best chance of fighting that threat. If Siren was taken out by a magician just because he was unaware of their existence or abilities, the chances of the viruses destroying the world would be that much higher.

However, the thing that brought the smile to Mikoro's face was the fact that Siren was having a conversation with someone. It was a sign that she was breaking through his shell, and possibly getting to the more social side of him…if he had one that was.

At the same time, she couldn't help but admire Touma's ability to make friends with people. Siren might have still been a bit suspicious of Touma, but at least he wasn't downright attacking him. Even so, Siren was still having a conversation with someone, and Mikoro truly believed that Siren would become friends with Touma if the two got to know each other.

"So…magic exists?" asked Siren. Touma nodded in response.

"And this power of yours, Imagine Breaker, it can cancel out magic as well as esper powers?" Touma nodded once more.

Siren crossed his arms. "That would come in handy if we were to fight against something that has magic or esper based abilities. Does this ability require you to activate it?"

Touma shook his head. "No, it seems to be passive. I don't control whether it's 'on' or 'off.' If there is a way, I just haven't found it."

Mikoro decided that now was as good a time to come up with a game plan as ever. "Siren, it looks as though you and Touma are getting along well, so I'll ask this now. What's our plan?"

Siren gained a thoughtful expression. "Frankly, there's not much we can do at this point. We don't know where the enemy is stationed, and we have no idea what kind of weapons or forces they have. I think the best thing to do would be to wait in the city. You said you were a hacker?"

Mikoro nodded. Hacking was one thing she excelled at. In the field, she wasn't much use, but behind a computer screen, she was unstoppable.

"Do you think you could hack into the city's security cameras? That way, if something happened, we'd be able to respond quicker. If we want the enemy to come to us, we might as well make sure we have as much at our disposal as possible. We could get some high end hardware and software to make hacking a little easier. If your computer is faster, you might have a better luck in the digital world."

Mikoro nodded. "Those do seem like the best actions to take right now. But where do we get the computer from?"

Siren cocked his head. "Where do you think? We just steal it."

Mikoro's eyes widened. "Hold on, hold on, hold on! Before we do anything, we have to address a certain issue; YOU. "

Siren blinked. "What?"

Mikoro sighed and put her hands on her hips. "You need to change your ways a bit. Instead of thinking like a criminal, try looking at things from a different point of view. You have incredible power; you don't have to use it to harm people, use it to help people who lack that power. This city is far more advanced than any other, but crime still exists here. Don't sit idly by while bad things happen to good people. I'm not asking you to become a saint, I'm asking you to use some of that incredible power to help people."

"You know," Touma began. "There is nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you saved somebody. I understand that you have a dark past, but you don't have to be the villain everyone sees you as. You don't have to be the monster that saved the world, you could be the hero who did it."

Siren frowned. "I am a monster by nature. Nothing will change that."

Touma shook his head. "The choices we make define us. You were born into a world far more violent than any of us could imagine without seeing it. You may have been born as a creature meant to destroy humanity, but you didn't join the Infected army in their rampage back at New York. Even now, you're fighting against the Infected, fighting against the corrupt men and women that made you what you are. You don't have to be a monster, you could be anything you want. Who says Blackwatch and Gentek have the right to decide what you are and what you should do? YOU decide who you are."

Siren said nothing as his gaze shifted to the floor.

"Siren, think about it. If you helped people throughout this city, you might get the support of the citizens. If Blackwatch or Gentek found you, they wouldn't be able to make a move against you if the city supported you. They might risk political issues with Japan if they did that," said Mikoro.

"Just try it. You have nothing to lose if you save a couple lives," Touma said while crossing his arms.

From Mikoro's point of view, it looked as though Siren was considering the idea. He looked to be deep in thought. She desperately hoped he would listen to them and try to help the innocent. She didn't believe that her friend was a monster, and she wanted him to understand that he wasn't one.

Touma yawned. "Anyway, it's pretty late, so I think I'll turn in for the night," he said while rising and walking toward the door. He turned his head as he opened it. "I'm going to tell Index about this, don't worry you can trust her, so don't expect any word from me until morning," with that, he walked through the door, closing it behind him.

Siren nodded, Mikoro had already explained who Index was and why she could be trusted. "I think it's time I get going as well; you need to rest Mikoro. You've been through a lot today."

Mikoro frowned. "I don't think I like the idea of you wandering around at night Siren. Touma lives right next door but…wait. Where do you even live?"

Siren cocked his head. "Live? Mikoro, I don't need a house, nor do I have one. I don't require sleep to survive, and I don't need protection from the weather. All I need is a basic food intake and I'm fine."

Mikoro's eyes widened. "You don't have a house? Where have you been staying then?"

"Nowhere. Honestly, my ultimate goal was to destroy any traces of the viruses, save for myself of course, and to destroy Blackwatch and Gentek. I only came to Academy City because it would be far easier to blend in here. I had no desire to live an ordinary life. Besides, I figured I'd be moving around a lot, so a house is pointless."

Mikoro couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So, ever since I met you, you have been…homeless?"

Siren nodded, to which Mikoro groaned in response. "Siren! You should have told me earlier! I would have let you stay with me!"

"But then you would have figured out I never slept. You would have gotten suspicious and eventually found out about my…past."

Mikoro shook her head. She placed her hands on her hips and looked at Siren as if she was scolding a child. "Unacceptable. You're going to stay with me from now on."

Siren blinked. "What? Why? I already told you I don't need a—"

"No buts! You're going to stay with me and that's final!"

Siren stared at her in confusion. Mikoro couldn't help but smile at the expression on his face. He looked so baffled that she found it adorable.

"You don't have to sleep or anything, but I want you to think of this place as your home. Now, whenever you want to go to a place you can call home, you can come here," she said with a grin.

Siren's expression didn't change for a good four or five seconds before he seemed to give in. "Fine. This is my new home. But a fair warning, I won't spend too much time here. There's not much of a point to that. That includes the nights. I'll usually be wandering around at night, otherwise, I'd just end up sitting in your living room looking creepy until morning rolls around."

Mikoro smirked triumphantly. "That's fine by me. But when I wake up tomorrow, if you're not here, call me. I'll need to know if you're just off prancing about, or if you're in legit trouble. I'll be up at nine tomorrow."

Siren nodded. "In that case, I'm heading out."

"Wait. Remember what we talked about. About using your power for the greater good. Think about that, think about it long and hard, Siren."

Siren's only response was a brief pause before he headed out the door. As soon as the door closed behind him, Mikoro heard him leap off into the night to do whatever it is he did. She sighed. Today was a very stressful day for her. Dark pasts, crazy killers, infected monsters, shape shifters, secret organizations. It was all a lot to take in.

She turned to head to her room but stopped when she heard a faint knocking at her door.

***Page Break***

Mikoto held her breath as she waited. A second passed. Two…

She heard someone unlocking the door. Slowly, the door opened revealing a face that looked identical to her own. Two pairs of light brown eyes widened as they met.

"Mikoto? What are you doing here?"

Mikoto rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Ehh, I sorta needed to talk to you."

Mikoro looked behind Mikoto and noticed how dark it was. "Good grief Mikoto! Look how dark it is! Did you really have to come out this late? Well, come on in."

Mikoto nodded while stepping in as Mikoro held the door open. She scanned the room. There was a sofa by the left wall, with a hallway right next to it that probably led to a bedroom and bathroom. The walls and ceiling were white, and there was a brown carpet covering the floor. Overall, the room looked fairly simple.

"So…" Mikoro began. "What brings you here?"

"I, uh, I needed to speak with you. Actually, I have a favor to ask. It's a pretty big one, but it's for a good cause. I know this is really out of the blue, but like I said, it's important. Very important."

"I'm listening," said Mikoro as she leaned in.

"Well, I met this one guy today. He was pretty odd looking; silver hair, grey eyes, pale skin, but he was…something different than an esper. I need…I need your help finding him."

***Page Break***

A teen with unusually white hair, and strange red eyes walked through the near empty store. He had a grocery bag in one hand, and a cane that supported him in the other. His expression was one of annoyance and boredom.

_Why is it that I'm the one who has to buy the groceries?_

He sighed as he walked toward the checkout. The store would be closing in a few minutes, and the cashier was already packing up. "You done?"

The white-haired teen nodded. "Yeah just about. Hurry up and check this in, I'm tired enough as it is."

The cashier narrowed his eyes slightly. "Rude little bugger," he muttered under his breath. After a quick check out, the grocery bag was given to the white haired teen and he headed out the double doors.

He took a sharp left and began walking toward his place of residence. Several things were on his mind, one of which was a certain, and very annoying, little girl with short brown hair, and a tendency to speak in third person.

_I swear if I hear that brat complaining about the fact that we have no more ice cream one more time, I'm going to drown her in a pool of the damn crap. Why do people even like this stuff? It's not even real food!_

He was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the faint sound of crying. He frowned as he turned his head toward the source of the annoying sound. Normally, he wouldn't care about something as trivial as this. But ever since the end of the experiment that had him slaughter countless innocents, he had noticed that several things about his personality had changed. He sighed as he made his way toward the ally from which the crying seemed to be coming from.

_Why do I even bother?_

As he got closer, he noticed bits of blood on the walls of nearby buildings. Immediately, he became suspicious of the entire situation. He placed the grocery bag on the ground and slowly made his way forward. The sound of crying was getting louder now, and he could tell it was a male.

As he rounded the corner, he saw something that could have passed for a battlefield. The walls and ground were painted red with blood, and there were numerous bodies scattered about. Most of them looked to still be breathing, but a few were as still as a corpse. There were strange claw marks on the walls, and as he looked around he noticed people, who were still alive, chained to pipes and other things that could hold them down. One of the people chained up was a young man and he looked to still be conscious. His facial expression was one of pure fear, and several tears fell from his eyes as they darted about franticly. His breathing was ragged, and parts of his face were swollen. He looked to be missing several teeth and had a few broken fingers.

As the white haired teen got closer, the chained man began mumbling something. The teen blinked in confusion before leaning in, attempting to decipher what the man was saying.

"Claws…fucking claws…killed them…left me…help me…don't let him take me…" the man broke down in sobs once more as he spoke.

The white-haired teen's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

_What the hell is he talking about?_

***Page Break***

Siren looked down from his perch as he watched the nurses haul the man onto a stretcher and drag him into the hospital. He stood up to his full height as the doors closed behind the nurses and he looked around him once more. The city lights lit up the sky, a few cars passed beneath him, and the sounds of the city filled his ears.

He crossed his arms as he looked at the moon. The first time he went outside, back in New York, the sky was red. He didn't totally understand why the skies above New York were red, but they were. Since then, he couldn't truly grow accustomed to the dark blue nights of the rest of the world. He felt out of place here, despite the fact that there were plenty other people here who possessed powers.

"Mikoro better appreciate this," he muttered to himself. He had gone out of his way to restrain himself during his little back alley scuffle. He had even saved somebody. He just happened to stumble upon a group of gang members, or whatever they were, beating up somebody who was foolish enough to cross them.

Siren's initial reaction was to ignore it, but then the words spoken by Mikoro and Touma had made their way into his mind. He remembered the way they talked about helping people, about using his power for the greater good. Ha! As if that was likely to happen. But even though every fiber of his body told him that saving the poor man was a waste of time, he went ahead and did it anyway. He didn't totally understand why, but he did it.

For the most part, he left the gang members alive. The few that had made the stupid mistake of shooting him were the ones he killed. He had no doubt that they would fire upon civilians should the need arise, so he decided to make things easier for everyone and end the idiots then and there.

He didn't expect himself to immediately feel different, but he had hoped that something would come of saving the guy. It so happened that…he felt exactly the same. Perhaps he was meant to feel different after his, somewhat, good deed was recognized?

…

_What the hell am I thinking? Once a monster, always a monster. _

He shook his head. There was just no changing it. He—

He felt familiar vibrations in his chest. He blinked, before his chest unwound and he pulled out the cell phone that he kept safe within a cocoon of biomass.

The caller ID told him that the person calling him was Mikoro…again.

He sighed before answering the phone. "Hello?"

"Siren? It's me, Mikoro. Could you come home? I have news."

Siren frowned. "Good news or bad news?"

"Depends on how you look at it," Mikoro replied. "Just come home as soon as possible." With that, she hung up the phone, and Siren's ears were once again treated to the sounds of a booming city.

"This had better be good," he mumbled.

***Page Break***

"Mikoto was searching for you."

Siren blinked. "What?"

Mikoro sat down on her sofa. "I said, Mikoto was searching for you."

"Why would she be looking for me?"

_You've got to be kidding me. Don't tell me she still wants to fight!_

"She wants to help you."

Siren froze. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I think I misheard you."

Mikoro rolled her eyes. "Mikoto wants to help you. She says she met a guy with silver hair, grey eyes, oh, and he grew claws while fighting some giant monster in the city. Sound familiar?"

Siren winced. Yup. Mikoto was searching for him alright.

"She said he was fighting something that threatened the safety of the world, and she wanted to help him fight it. She asked me to hack into the city's security cameras to help locate you. She told me how she met you and how you two proceeded to battle each. She also told me about how you mentioned fighting something that threatened the world. Do you understand what you've done?" she asked with a small smile on her face.

"I was trying to intimidate her. She was getting too involved and I wanted to make sure she wouldn't cause problems in the future." 

Mikoro face palmed. "Siren, you've sparked Mikoto's interest. She's now worried about you, though she'll never admit, and she wants to help you face the viruses. You've gotten her attention. "Mikoro suddenly broke out into a wide grin. "I didn't know you had such a way with the ladies Siren," she said with a wink.

Siren arched an eyebrow in response. "Call me crazy, but I think the fact that Mikoto shot her railgun at me doesn't imply that she likes me."

Mikoro blinked. "She shot her _railgun_ at you?!"

Siren nodded. "I caught it and she seemed to lose her will to fight after her signature attack was blocked," Siren explained.

Mikoro's jaw dropped. "You _caught _her railgun?!"

"In my mouth actually."

Mikoro stared at him for a few seconds, her mouth opening and closing. "H-how on earth did you—?"

"I'll explain the specifics at some other point in time. Now, back to what you were saying…"

Mikoro stared at him for some time before she laughed at his words. "I guess I don't know you as well as I thought, do I? Well, she's worried about you now, and she wants to help you. Way to go Siren! Adding members to Team Gekota!"

Siren resisted the urge to face palm. "We're not calling ourselves that."

"I'm just kidding," Mikoro said with a laugh. "So, what do you think? Do we let Mikoto in on our little secret?"

Siren immediately shook his head. "She's a wild card. She's unpredictable and overly confident. She's quick to get angry and she's prone to attack without thinking. That, and we have some bad history between us. I doubt she actually wants to help."

"Siren, you're being paranoid. I know Mikoto. When she wants to protect something, she does everything in her power to do so. Mikoto wants to protect her friends and family, it's how she is. She's protective of things; that's just who Misaka Mikoto is. And for whatever reason, you must have done or said something that made her want to protect you."

"Pfft, as if I need to be protected by a child."

Mikoro frowned. "You know, I am her clone and I do look _exactly _like her. Are you implying that I'm a kid as well?"

"Child in terms of her maturity level. Hers isn't very high."

Mikoro giggled. "Can't wait to see how you two interact with each other," she said before bursting out laughing.

Siren raised an eyebrow. "Who said we're going to 'interact' with each other?"

"You know as well as I do that Mikoto would make a great addition to this team. She has power, lots of it. She knows how to fight and she'd be a valuable ally to have. Better an awkward ally than a raging enemy, am I right?"

"Not so sure about that last bit," Siren replied.

Mikoro slugged him in the arm. "You know what I mean. Wouldn't you rather have her at your side, rather than at your throat?"

"She can have my throat and my side, I'll just regenerate."

"Um, not what I meant," Mikoro said. She shook her head. "Look, my point is, you're getting a lot of great opportunities here. You might as well take them before something else comes up. This is the calm before the storm, so you might as well prepare for that storm. Anyway, I told Mikoto I'd help her 'find' you, but until you decide whether or not you want Mikoto working with us, I won't actually give up your location."

Siren sighed before looking at the clock. By now, it read 2:14 AM. "Mikoro, I think you should get some sleep, you still need it."

Mikoro looked over the digital clock resting by her sofa. "Oh crap!" she exclaimed as her eyes widened. "It _is _late! Alright Siren, I'm going to bed, here, take this key, it unlocks the front door." She handed him a small, silver house key after fumbling through her pockets for a few seconds.

"You can stay here or you can go do whatever it is you do during the night. Just make sure to come back by morning," she told him.

Siren nodded. "Hey, if it's of any importance to you…I, uh, saved somebody from being beaten to death by a gang. I got him to a hospital before they could kill him and I dealt with the gang. I left most of them alive"

Mikoro's eyes widened. "You…you saved somebody?" Siren nodded. Before he could comprehend how much that meant to her, Mikoro rushed forward and threw her arms around him.

Siren stared at her in surprise as she laughed at something that he had seemingly missed. "That's great! I'm so happy for you! See? You can use your powers to help others, you're not a monster!"

Siren was unsure as to how to react to the girl's praise, so he simply stood there wondering what he should do. After a few seconds, Mikoro released him and stepped back. "I think this is the start of a great adventure," she proclaimed with a grin.

"I think it's the start of a huge mess," Siren mumbled.

Mikoro frowned. "By the way, you said you left most of them alive. What do you mean by most?"

"Some of them began shooting at me. They didn't hesitate to try and kill me. If they had shot a regular person in the future, they would have killed someone. I took care of the shooters then and there to avoid future issues."

Mikoro sighed. "At least you helped somebody," she said with a smile. "Well, looks like it's time to turn in for the night. Have a pleasant night Siren!"

"Yeah, you too," he said while turning around. He walked out the front door, locking it behind him. He looked around, wondering what he should do with his free time.

_Perhaps I will look around and see if I can find any more of society's scum. I little practice never hurt anyone._

With that, Siren Mercer set out on a patrol across Academy City, looking for obvious signs of gangs or thugs. Unfortunately for the scum of society, Siren Mercer was not one to show mercy to his enemies, and to him, killing a man was easier than taking him to jail.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Siren and Friends: Like I said earlier, I didn't want to make this a Character A kills Character B because Character C did blah blah blah. I wanted to give Siren friends so that he has something else that's worth fighting for (cheesy I know, but it adds to the story). The desire for answers and revenge was the gist of [Prototype] and Prototype 2. This story is similar, but different in its own ways.**

**Mikoto's Will to Protect: Mikoto comes off as one of those people who protects those who she cares for. She doesn't know Siren very well, but she believes that he has experienced horrible experiments just like she did. The way I see it, if she met someone who could relate to her in that regard, she would want to help them. Also, Mikoto probably doesn't want to watch the world end. So, if she suspects that Siren is fighting something that could destroy the world, she would probably help him.**

**Mikoro's Accepting of Siren's 'Killing' Nature: Mikoro is not one to judge in this fanfic. She knows Siren has had a hard life, and that he finds it hard to see the fault in killing someone, especially if that someone endangers innocent lives. She may not like the fact that he kills people, but she doesn't get on his tail about it every time he does something like this. Though, as you all can see, she's trying to help Siren by helping him gain better morality.**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, PROTOTYPE, PROTOTYPE 2, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!**

**Hey guys! Sorry for delay on this chapter; we had tons of projects, presentations, finals, etc. at school. My schedule is freeing up though, seeing as summer break is almost here :). Also, a quick thank you to everybody who is reading this fanfic, it's very motivating to see the number of views climbing on a daily basis, even if people decide that the fanfic isn't worth their time, they gave it a shot, and that alone means a lot, especially since this is my first fanfic! And a special thanks to everybody who comments; the comments are more motivating than you would think! Anyway, here's Chapter 8 of A Certain Sapient Virus; enjoy!**

**Chapter 8**

**The (Not So) Friendly Neighborhood Virus**

Siren looked towards the clear blue sky as he walked. Ever since the sun had bathed the city in its light, people had begun wandering about, doing whatever it is they needed to do. The amount of people on the street forced Siren to hold off on his city patrol until the crowds on the sidewalks thinned a little.

"Lovely weather we're having."

Siren looked over toward Touma, who had been walking next to him for the past dozen or so minutes. "Cloudless skies and a burning sun. The heat here is unbearable," he said, fanning himself slightly. "How can you walk around in all those layers?"

Currently, Siren wore a pair of black pants and white shoes, coupled with a grey hoodie covered by a black vest. "My body isn't all that affected by heat or cold. To be honest, I barely feel this heat, and these clothes are just what I prefer."

Touma frowned. "Lucky," he mumbled.

Siren looked back toward the sky. Touma had decided to go grocery shopping today, and Mikoro had asked Siren to tag along. She thought it would be a good chance for them to get to know each other, seeing as Siren was still wary around Touma, and everyone else he had ever met, except Mikoro.

_And Dana…_

Siren's eyes widened as the name came to mind. Dana…who was she? Why did she hold a place in his memories? He couldn't understand at all. He had no romantic interests, so he was positive she wasn't a girlfriend or anything of the sort. He knew he wasn't human, and his instincts told him over and over again that he never was human. Some of his memories suggested the same thing, though they were some of the foggiest. He still didn't know why he woke up in that abandoned lab all those months ago, but he was sure that he was created, not born.

"You ok there? You're spacing out…," Touma asked from beside him.

Siren shook his head to clear it. "I'm fine, I was just…thinking."

Touma cocked his head. "About…," he trailed off, waiting for Siren's reply.

"My origin. How I might have came to be, where I came from…who I am."

Touma frowned. "If anything, where you came from isn't as important as where you're going and what you're doing."

Siren nodded. It was then that he noticed the…

"Heads up," he said with little emotion in his voice.

Touma turned his head to look forward, just in time to hit his head against wooden plank sticking from a window. "Agh! What the heck is this doing out here?!" he shouted while cradling his head.

"They're replacing their windows," Siren commented, nodding toward the store with the wooden plank in its window.

"Such misfortune," Touma hissed.

Siren crossed his arms. "Come on, your luck can't be _that _bad."

Touma chuckled as he straightened out. "You have no idea. Frankly, my luck sucks. I'm always in the middle of the latest issues here and I'm always getting sucked into trouble. It's insanity I tell you."

"You say your hand causes this?"

Touma nodded. "This little jewel," he started, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "cancels out any good fortune that may come my way. What does that leave me with? Misfortune. You may have been through a lot, but at least you can catch a break sometimes."

Siren smirked. "I can relate more than you know." Siren had lost track of how many times his business in New York was interrupted by an angry Hunter or a group of shuffling Infected. After the first few times, it was annoying, but after dozens of interruptions, it was plain infuriating.

"Yeah well, at least your power doesn't cancel good fortune out," mumbled Touma.

"At least your power doesn't mark you as a freak of nature that's targeted by an army of zombies. That is to be expected though, seeing as I'm a walking apocalypse."

Touma frowned. "Don't talk about yourself that way man, it's not right."

"But it's the truth," Siren replied. Touma rolled his eyes in response. He looked forward and pointed toward a grocery store.

"That's the place. I shouldn't take too long. Do you want to wait for me outside or what?"

"I'll wait outside," said Siren.

Touma shrugged and began jogging toward the store. Siren slightly increased his pace, easily catching up to Touma. Siren stopped a dozen or so feet in front of the store while Touma ran on toward the front doors. Siren leaned back against a building wall as Touma disappeared into the store.

He looked around at the masses of people wandering the streets. For a second, the image of the city and its citizens was replaced by an image of burning ruins along with shambling Infected and a red sky. As quickly as the image entered his mind, it vanished.

He sighed; he would never forget the things he had seen in New York but…

He shook his head. This wasn't New York. There was no other samples of REDLIGHT or BLACKLIGHT here, there was only him. There was no reason to hold on to the past like this.

He frowned as another topic came to mind; regurgitation. It was something he had picked up from Craig after consuming him, but he never had a chance to try it out. He figured the ability would come in handy; being able to vomit up a few super beasts was always a plus in his book. The issue was, said beasts had to already be infected with REDLIGHT or BLACKLIGHT before he stored them in his body.

He looked around once more. Too bad there were no Infected here for him to store in his body for later regurgitation…

***Page Break***

Touma yawned as he looked for the next item on his grocery list. The past few nights were spent thinking about what was coming. He had time to really think about what he had gotten himself into. Here he was, allying himself with a bioweapon meant to wipe out entire nations. Said bioweapon was fighting against _more _bioweapons that could bring about the end of world.

He knew that Imagine Breaker didn't do anything to someone like Siren; his powers weren't those of an esper or a magician so Imagine Breaker had no effect. He expected that they would run into an enemy magician or esper somewhere along the way; it was only natural with Touma's luck and the fact that many espers and magicians would stop at nothing to gain more power; and a couple of bioweapons with enough power to wipe out the human race would be a prime target for power hungry men and women.

Touma leaned forward and grabbed a dozen eggs.

In all honesty, Touma was also a little wary of Siren. Touma's greatest defense was his Imagine Breaker, and here was a being that was totally unaffected by the Imagine Breaker. Touma knew that Mikoro trusted Siren, and so he didn't think that Siren would turn into an enemy. At least he hoped that wouldn't be the case.

It wasn't as though Touma thought that Siren would turn on them, but Siren had made it clear that his nature was a twisted one. He had admitted to killing people before, sometimes _consuming_ them for the purpose of healing himself or satisfying his hunger. That didn't sit well with Touma at all, but he knew that Siren made an attempt to avoid consuming innocents. He usually tried to consume the Infected or the twisted men and women who were involved with Blackwatch, Gentek, or the creation of the viruses.

Touma grabbed and gallon of milk and continued walking.

In a way, Touma felt as though it was unfair to scold Siren for following his own nature. Siren was many things. He was a virus, a bioweapon, but he was also a predator. Consuming was simply part of his nature. A wolf feels no remorse after killing a rabbit, nor is it considered evil. Siren was made to kill humans, but now that he had the need to feed, they were a food source.

He grabbed a few sticks of butter and threw them in the shopping basket he was holding.

Still, it was good to see that Siren attempted to avoid consuming innocents. He may have been a predator, but he wasn't a mindless animal. He understood that some people truly didn't harbor any ill intentions toward him. He understood that there were innocents out there who didn't deserve to die.

Just as Touma was making his way toward the cashier register, he heard something that made his blood run cold.

Gunfire.

He wasn't the only one to hear the noise. It looked as though everyone in the store had heard it and the customers and staff now wore panicked expressions on their faces. Touma dropped the shopping basket and ran toward the door, just in time to see a certain silver-haired figure dashing off in the direction of the gunfire, moving far faster than a human should have been able to.

***Page Break***

Siren had begun sprinting toward the sound of gunfire the moment he heard it. The civilians on the streets were now rushing to take cover, dropping belongings and moving about like human bumper cars. Siren pushed past the crowds as he ran, shoving several people hard enough to knock them to the sidewalk.

As long as he didn't start shape shifting in the middle of the streets, a display of speed was nothing to worry about. He continued his race toward the gunfire for several seconds before rounding a corner.

_There!_

A small clothing shop had several broken windows, and he could see figures in black ski masks walking around in the store. He pumped biomass into his eyes, activating his Thermal Vision. The heat signatures of nearby living creatures illuminated his vision, distracting him for only a fraction of a second before he refocused on the clothing store.

He could see people huddled on the floor and more people walking over them, holding items that he couldn't yet see. He assumed these items must have been weapons of some sort. Some of the heat signatures looked to be fighting, while others remained still in corners. There was a heat signature that seemed to have taken somebody hostage as well…

As he moved closer, he deactivated his Thermal Vision. He veered toward a window, preparing to jump through it. As he neared the window, he dived forward…

***Page Break***

_Crap!_

Touma had long since fallen far behind Siren; the unlucky teen was simply nowhere near as fast as the silver-haired shape shifter. He hadn't heard the sounds of gunfire for a few seconds and so he didn't know where to run to in order to catch up to Siren.

He hoped that the lack of gunfire was a good thing, but he also hoped, if Siren was the reason that the gunfire ended, that he hadn't torn apart everything in the immediate area.

_No, don't think like that. Just because Siren's not human does not mean he is incapable of rational thought._

Touma kept running, and it wasn't long before…

The sounds of gun shots rang through the air again.

***Page Break***

A young girl stood in between the criminal and her little sister. She looked to be in early high school, perhaps 16 years of age. She had long black hair, pale skin, and green eyes. Her bangs were brushed to the right side of her face, and some of her hair fell over her right shoulder. She wore a black jacket with blue jeans and plain white shoes. She stood with her arms stretched to either side of her, a look of determination on her face.

"You will not touch my little sister!"

The masked woman before her chuckled. "The kid's wearing a nice little necklace there. That might fetch a fine price in the future. So will your sister," the woman added darkly. "Let's be reasonable here; you step aside, and you'll be able to walk away from this store with your life."

The girl narrowed her eyes. "No," she said firmly. "You're not going to take my sister and ship her off to some crime ring making use of child labor. That and the necklace was a gift from someone special. You will not take it OR my sister! Children aren't meant to be sold as slaves you twisted freak!"

The woman rolled her eyes. "Children are expendable. Besides, the money we'll make off her will go to a good cause; making us rich!"

The other masked figures laughed at her words. They then returned to snatching anything that looked valuable off counters and off people. At the same time, they were calling out to the people in the store.

"Alright," boomed a male voice. "Children are coming with us, we got a van parked out back so don't worry folks, the children won't be walking." He smirked. "They gotta save their energy for the work ahead. Anybody tries calling the authorities, we shoot them. Somebody tries calling the authorities again; we shoot them and one other person. Three people die if somebody calls a third time, four people die for the fourth call, and so on and so forth. That clear?"

By now, several parents were weeping, holding on to their children with expressions of horror on their faces. The children, seeing their parents cry, began wailing as well. "All right, let's move! We're on a tight schedule so hurry the fuck up!"

The girl with the long black hair still stood between her sister and the masked woman. She was trembling now, not from fear, but from anger. What right did these people have to take away children?! What right did they have to destroy families like this?! She threw a glance over her shoulder at her sister. The child had black hair, just like her older sister. But instead of long, straight hair, hers was short, cut off just below her neck. Her blue eyes stared into those of her sister with a pleading expression, one that seemed to give off a silent cry for help. The black-haired teen gritted her teeth as she looked at her precious sister.

_I have to do something…_

"Oi, you, the girl hiding behind the black haired chick with the funky attitude. C'mere!"

The little girl trembled and took a few steps back, trying to put distance between her and the masked woman. The masked woman narrowed her eyes. "I said, c'mere—", she wasn't able to finish her statement because the black-haired girl leapt forward, planting a punch on the woman's face. She gasped and stepped back, her face twisted with anger. The girl swung again, but this time, the woman hit her in the chest with her elbow. The girl staggered backwards, gasping for air. The woman lifted her pistol and leveled it with the girl's forehead. Before she could shoot however, the girl kicked the woman's right hand, sending her pistol flying. The girl then proceeded to spin around, planting a hard kick in the woman's stomach.

The woman fell to the ground with a gasp, and the girl rushed toward the gun. But before she could get to it, something slammed into her side, sending her barreling into the wall. She looked up at a large male figure wearing cloths similar to those of the woman, black pants, black shirt, and a black ski mask. He lifted his rifle and pointed it at her, but the girl rolled away just as he fired.

The bullets collided with the wall for a second before the gun jammed, leaving several holes and causing the few civilians in the building to scream, their grips tightening around their children. The girl hopped over a table and drop kicked the criminal as he fumbled with his rifle, clearly inexperienced with the model.

By now, every member of the gang of criminals had his or her eyes set on the black-haired girl. She bent her knees, assuming a fighting stance, her eyes shining with determination. She quickly noted that some of the masked goons were circling her, while others kept their distance, looks of hesitance present in their eyes.

The girl scanned the group of goons before noticing that the woman from before was not among them. Her eyes widened as she looked around frantically before she heard a familiar cry echo out from behind her.

She spun around, a panicked expression on her face. There, a few feet away from her, stood the woman who had attacked her, her pistol mere centimeters from the girl's younger sister. The child had tears in her eyes but she couldn't cry out due to the fact that the woman had her hand over the child's mouth. If the woman wasn't wearing a ski mask, the black-haired teen would have seen the wild grin on her face. "You shouldn't have done that. I told you that you could walk away unharmed from this. You didn't listen, you didn't heed the warning," the woman said with a chuckle. "Well, that's your issue. I'm still taking this brat; she'll fetch a descent price. Tell ya what, I'll kill you here and now so that you don't have to live with your failure to protect your 'precious little sister'." With that, the woman nodded to one of the goons behind the black-haired teen.

She heard several clicks behind her, and assumed that the thugs were now pointing their weapons at her. She gritted her teeth once more in frustration. If her sister wasn't being held captive, she could pick these fools apart! It wouldn't be in the least bit challenging, but her sister's life was at risk here.

"Nighty night," the woman said with a giggle.

It was then that something came flying through the window. The glass had already been shattered by earlier warning shots from the group of masked criminals, so the figure came barreling through.

He landed a few feet in front of one of the men standing behind the black-haired teen. The figure's head snapped up, revealing cold grey eyes that scanned the entire scene. His quickly focused on the criminal closest to him, while the criminal stared down at the grey eyed figure in surprise. The figure merely smirked before jumping up, his fist outstretched.

He delivered a brutal uppercut to the criminal's face, sending him into the ceiling. The grey eyed figure then grabbed the criminal's ankle with his right hand and brought the criminal down onto the ground, _hard._ The masked goon didn't even have time to grunt before he passed out.

Just as his gun clattered to the floor, the stranger used his foot to kick the gun up to his hands and aimed it directly at the woman standing by the young girl. He fired a shot at the woman. The bullet sped past the woman's ear, causing her to drop her gun as she brought her hands up to her ears. The noise from the shot disoriented her, and with a yelp, the masked woman jumped away from the girl. The girl scrambled back, heading toward a fallen table before crawling behind it.

In the meantime, the majority of the eyes in the room were focused on the newcomer. The black-haired teen's stare was the sternest of them all, her eyes trained on him, sizing him up.

He had short silver hair and very pale skin. He wore white shoes along with black pants and a grey hoodie. The hoodie was covered by a black vest, and she could see a strange red symbol on his back that resembled a pair of wings.

The newcomer surveyed his surroundings once more, his cold grey eyes passing over each and every criminal until his gaze fell upon the woman. Immediately, his eyes narrowed, and the expression changed from cold, to one of downright hostility and anger. He seemed to radiate an aura of killing intent as he stared at the woman.

"I know you," he said in a deep voice. He turned to face the woman. "You specialize in shipping children to labor camps run by illegal crime rings."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, so what? You got an issue with that?"

The silver-haired teen crossed his arms. "As a matter of fact, I do."

The woman chuckled in response. "Sorry _princess_, but you're not one of my concerns. If one little kid who thinks he's hot stuff is having issues with the way I run my business, that's not my problem. I mean, yeah, you knocked one of my guys out," she gestured to the fallen goon, "but that ain't too bad. I got plenty more where that came from. You," she jerked her head toward a criminal who stood to the silver-haired teen's right. "Take care of our little hero here."

The masked thug merely nodded and took a step forward, leveling his rifle with the strange teen. Just before he could shoot, in a display of incredible speed, the teen grabbed the fallen thug off the ground and lifted him in front of his own body. Just as he did so, a storm of bullets poured into the thug's stomach. Immediately, the man who pulled the trigger dropped his weapon. "Kodaka! NO!" He rushed forward, trying to reach his dying comrade that he had just shot. Just as he closed in, the silver-haired teen threw the dying goon at his comrade as though he was as light as a baseball. The two went flying into the nearby wall, leaving several cracks in it. Several of the other masked criminals looked toward the pair of goons…that was their first mistake. While they were busy gawking, the silver-haired teen dashed forward, displaying incredible speed once more. He reached the first goon in under half a second, drawing his fist back. The goon turned around just in time to receive a knuckle sandwich to the face.

The goon was also sent backwards, straight into the window. Several other goons turned around to try and stop the silver-haired teen. However, the moment they turned around, the silver-haired teen began moving again, zigzagging as he made his way toward the goons.

The girl took a second to admire his skill before her expression hardened. This wasn't over yet. "Everyone! Get out through the windows! We'll handle this, just get yourselves to safety!"

Immediately, people began jumping through the windows, running off into the city, some pulling out their phones.

The black-haired teen turned her attention back toward the gang of thugs, just in time to see the newcomer snap the arm of a charging goon. She took a second to survey the group. A few possessed various firearms while the majority of the gang had more makeshift weapons, such as metal bats and knives. She quickly deduced that these were hired amateurs, and not experienced criminals.

She then noticed that one of the goons who had maintained his distance from both her and the silver-haired teen was training his rifle on the teen's back. Her eyes narrowed and she jumped into action. "Oh no you don't!" she shouted as she wrapped her arms around the criminal's neck, cutting off his air supply. She tightened her grip, and spun the goon around before throwing him into a clothing rack.

She looked back towards the fight, only to notice that only a small amount of the goons had their eyes on her, while the vast majority were trying to bring down the silver-haired fighter, who was throwing each and every criminal who got close to him around like rag dolls.

She smiled as she rushed forward, dodging incoming gunfire with grace that some would call superhuman. She made her way toward the closest goon, dodging gunfire, and drew back her left leg. She then delivered a punishing blow to the side of the goon's head, knocking him unconscious. She landed once more, looking over her shoulder to see an approaching goon, a baseball bat held high over his head. With a cry, he brought down the bat as hard as he could, only for the girl to catch the bat in her hands, a smug expression on her face.

"Th-there's no way!" he said, eyes widening in shock. The girl yanked the bat down, and head butted the goon away from her. He stumbled back, and she hit him in the head with the bat, not hard enough to kill him, but enough to cause his eyes to start spinning. He fell to the floor in a comical manner, a groan escaping his lips.

She rolled to her right, avoiding another barrage of bullets. She kept rolling until she was behind a counter. There she waited until she heard the sounds of weapons being reloaded. It was then that she jumped over the counter, throwing the bat at the nearest goon. It hit him in the chest, knocking him off his feet and depriving him of air.

She dashed forward, grabbing his gun, and shot another goon in the shoulder. He screamed as he stumbled back, several of his comrades flinching. She quickly ducked as another goon sailed over her head, clearly thrown by the silver-haired teen.

She looked over and noticed that the group that had been attacking the silver-haired teen had been reduced to almost nothing. Unconscious thugs were lying all over the place, and the silver-haired teen was in the process of pounding one thug into a wall with one hand, while the other held a goon by the throat.

She quickly refocused on the criminals around her. It was then that she heard a strange noise. She looked over and noticed that the woman who had taken her sister hostage was holding out her left hand, golden energy dancing at her fingertips.

She drew back her hand before jerking it forward, sending the golden energy straight at the black-haired girl. She jerked her head to the right as the beam of golden energy went sailing past her ear. Said energy continued on its path, slamming directly into yet another goon.

She smiled. "If that's the best that you can do, I'm disappointed. I figured someone with a mouth as big as yours would be at a level that was at least _mildly _respectable."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "This coming from the brat who had to call her boyfriend to come help her." As soon as the words left her mouth, the girl's face burned a brilliant shade of red, her mouth opening and her eyes going white from shock and anger. "He's not my boyfriend! I don't even know hi—" she didn't get to finish her statement before the woman was inches in front of her.

"Gotcha," she said with a chuckle.

_Crap!_

Before the woman could do anything however, a scream echoed through the building. The woman's gaze quickly shifted toward something behind the girl. A goon lay on the ground clutching his shoulder as the silver-haired teen brought his foot down on the criminal's other shoulder. A loud *snap* could be heard and the goon went quite, passing out from the pain.

The little distraction was all the girl needed to shove the woman away from her. She jumped back, just as the silver-haired teen performed a back handspring, hopping away form from a hail of bullets.

The girl landed just as the other teen did, the backs pressing against each other. Both teens spared glances at each other, before their gazed returned to their opponents, the girl staring down the masked woman with a look of anger, while the other teen had his cold eyes set on the group of thugs who were either running toward the two or reloading their weapons.

The two leapt forward at the same time, the girl landing in front of the woman, focusing entirely on her. "What gives you the right to do this? To take away children, to tear apart families? The paths these children take are their own. It's not your choice to decide whether they're free or slaves," she said in a harsh tone of voice.

The woman merely chuckled in response. "What gives me the right? What gives me the right is that I have power. The world is meant to be run by the strong, while the weak labor at their feet. Wake up, there are espers all over the city and some of them want nothing more than power. How long do you think it will be before every non-esper becomes a slave to those with power?"

"That won't happen. For one, the amount of espers in existence is nothing compared to the amount of humans on Earth. If espers try to enslave non-espers, do you really think the government would just stand by? No, they'd take action. They'd call for backup, possibly foreign assistance, and espers would be wiped out."

She shook her head in disapproval. "It's because of you and people like you that the world has so many issues. You need to learn to not screw with people's lives, and if there's one thing you truly should remember," she started, her eyes narrowing and her expression darkening. "It's that you do _not_ threaten Kazari Rika's family!"

Faster than the woman could follow, Rika leapt forward, bringing her right knee up, slamming it into the woman's head. With a shout, the woman flew backwards, landing by a shelf. Rika jumped to her left, planting her feet against a wall, then kicking off, sending herself flying toward the woman. Just as the woman was standing up, she was tackled to the ground by Rika. Rika pinned the woman's arms to the ground using her legs, and grabbed a nearby gun that was dropped by a goon who had been on the receiving end of her fury. She pointed the gun at the woman's head, her face a mask of anger. "Don't move," she said in a harsh tone. Before Rika could decide on the best course of action, she heard someone appear next to her. She jerked her head around, and found herself looking at a girl who wore the Tokiwadai uniform and had brown hair, styled in pigtails and was held in place by two red bows.

"Alright, everybody freeze! I'm with Judgment and…" she trailed off as she noticed the piles of unconscious thugs lying all over the floor. Currently, the only people who were still awake were Rika, the masked woman, the girl from Judgment, and the silver-haired teen, who currently had a firm grasp on a gasping thug's throat, holding him several feet above the ground.

Nobody moved for several seconds, except the half-conscious thug that was kicking at the silver-haired teen in desperation. After a few seconds, he stopped struggling and slipped into unconsciousness. It was then that the silver-haired teen dropped him like a broken play thing and turned toward Rika and the Judgment girl.

"Um, uh, wow—I mean good work citizens! You defended this clothing store from this criminal scum."

"Tch, screw you," said the masked woman from beneath Rika.

Rika frowned at the annoying woman. "Oh shut up, you're just mad that you had your ass handed to you on a silver platter with a side of justice," she said smugly before remembering something significant. She turned to the silver-haired teen that had helped her fight off the gang of goons and their leader.

"Hey, thanks for the help here. My sister might not have made it if you hadn't stepped in," she said.

The silver-haired teen simply threw a glance her way before looking outside. "I'll let the cleanup crew handle the rest," he commented as he began walking toward the door.

The Judgment girl narrowed her eyes. "Are you calling Judgment a cleanup crew? You do know who we are, right?"

"I do, but I don't care. And I never called Judgment a cleanup crew; you made that connection yourself."

The Judgment girl narrowed her eyes at him. "Tch, somebody's got an attitude problem."

The silver-haired teen said nothing as he continued on his way toward the door. It was then that a teenage boy with spiked black hair, a white dress shirt and blue jeans burst through the front door. The first thing he looked at was the silver-haired teen.

"Siren! Man, I've been looking for you! How the heck did you get so far ahead of me…" he, like the Judgment girl, trailed off as he noticed the piles of thugs on the floor. While he was busy gawking at the chaos, Rika was busy thinking.

_Siren? Is that his name? Doesn't sound Japanese. Come to think of it, he doesn't look Japanese either; he's more toward the European look._

"What's _that _troglodyte doing here?" hissed the Judgment girl.

Rika blinked. "What? The guy with the spiked hair? What's so bad about him?"

"He has the power to fool innocent maidens into falling for him; even Onee-sama fell prey to his power," the Judgment girl explained as she walked over to Rika and handcuffed the fallen woman.

Rika stared at the girl as though she were insane. "You have issues," she deadpanned.

The Judgment girl squinted at the silver-haired teen that Rika now knew as Siren. "You know, he seems kind of familiar…" she trailed off.

"Siren, did you have to knock _that_ many of these guys out like that? Couldn't you try holding back just a _little _more? " asked the boy with the spiked hair.

Siren rolled his eyes. "If I was holding back anymore, I might as well sit by and watch the show with a bag of popcorn. I _was_ holding back, a _lot_," he hissed through gritted teeth.

The comment was meant for the boy with the spiked hair, but apparently, this Siren character didn't account for Rika's excellent hearing. Her eyes widened at what she heard.

_He was holding back? Man, I wonder what he'd be like when he goes all out…_

Rika looked around at the masses of bodies around her and smiled.

_You're not the only one who held back here today, Siren. Too bad I have to keep a low profile, it would have been fun showing these idiots what happens when you threaten my sister…_

She got off the downed woman as the Judgment girl hauled her up. Rika looked toward Siren and his companion as the two exited the building, the boy with the spiked hair still rambling on about something.

Her expression hardened as she realized she still had a job to do.

_Hold on little sister, I'm on my way._

***Page Break***

"Such misfortune," grumbled Touma. "It was supposed to be a simple day, just get the groceries and go home. Then we run into wooden planks,"

"YOU ran into a wooden plank, not me," Siren commented.

Touma rolled his eyes. "_I _ran into a wooden plank, then we hear gunfire, and YOU get into a fight with a bunch of back alley creeps trying to sell children."

Siren shrugged. "Look on the bright side; it could have been far worse. If that girl from the store hadn't been a good fighter, those guys would have probably killed some of the parents."

Touma looked over to Siren, a curious expression on his face. "Speaking of that girl, do you know her?"

Siren shook his head. "First time I've ever seen her. I think she said her name was Rika…Rika something. I didn't catch her family name when she was yelling at the leader."

Touma nodded as he looked back toward the sidewalk they were walking on. "Why do I feel as though I forgot something?"

Siren looked over to him in confusion. "Everything alright?"

Touma looked to be deep in thought for several seconds before he remembered what he forgot. "Crap! I left the grocery basket at the store!" He turned around and began sprinting back toward the grocery store that they had walked too earlier that morning.

***Page Break***

"So then I showed up and there's this girl sitting on top of a woman with a gun pointed at her face," Kuroko continued. Mikoto nodded as she listened to her friend talk about the day's experiences so far. It was only the afternoon, and there was already trouble in the city.

"Then I noticed all these bodies lying around on the floor, unconscious criminals _everywhere_. There was also somebody else there, somebody I hadn't noticed at first. He was a weird looking guy, pale skin, grey eyes," she paused as she tried recalling the details.

However, unbeknownst to Kuroko, Mikoto was hanging on to her last statement. Grey eyes. She remembered a pair of cold grey eyes; eyes that seemed to hold a deep sadness. Eyes that told a story of someone who had experienced the unthinkable.

The moment those words left Kuroko's mouth, Mikoto became infinitely more drawn towards Kuroko's story. She had been looking for a certain silver-haired, grey-eyed teen, and she wondered if Kuroko had actually seen him. But what was the chance? There were plenty of people with grey eyes; surely this was a coincidence…

"Oh, and he had weird silver hair, hooked kind of European and—" Kuroko was interrupted by Mikoto grabbing her by the shoulders. "Kuroko! That's him! That's the guy I'm looking for! Remember? I told you about him; silver hair, pale skin, and grey eyes?"

Kuroko stared in confusion at Mikoto for a few seconds before her expression morphed into one of recognition and her palm met her face. "That's why he looked familiar! You _told _me about him!"

"Kuroko, do you know where he is? Do you know where he's going?!"

Kuroko shook her head. "No, forgive me, Onee-sama. I am ready to take on whatever punishment you have for me—" she was cut off by the jolt she felt from Mikoto electrocuting her.

"Did you find any useful information on him?" she asked with an annoyed expression on her face.

Kuroko shrugged. "I found out his name, if that means anything to you."

Mikoto's eyes widened. "His name? You know his name? What is it?"

Kuroko grinned. "I'll tell you," she began in what was meant to be seductive voice. "But first…"

"KUROKO!"

Kuroko rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright, his name is Siren."

Mikoto blinked. "Siren? Ok, is that all you have on his name?"

Kuroko nodded. "I don't know if that's his family name or given name…"

Mikoto shook her head. "Don't worry, the name we have is a start…"

***Page Break***

_She stood in the middle of the street, desperately searching for something safe, something to hide in. Tears welled up in her eyes as the cries of the creatures grew louder and louder. Shrieks that sounded eerily human, yet so horrifyingly inhumane echoed all around her. _

_Everywhere she looked, they were there. The Infected. They crawled from every window, every door, from everywhere. The mindless creatures shuffled toward her, growling and groaning, their deformed bodies falling apart with each step they took. _

_She turned to run, but there were more. More and more of them kept pouring into the street. There seemed to be no end to them. She looked around again and again until she decided that it would be better to die trying than to die crying. She began sprinting toward the horde of Infected, weaving in between the creatures, narrowly avoiding their outstretched arms and gaping mouths. _

_Every now and then, she'd feel their cold fingers brush against her skin. She wanted to scream every time they touched her; their skin varied from slimy and smooth to dry and scaly. She knew she couldn't stop. If she stopped, they'd kill her. If she slowed down, they'd grab her. The only option was to run. Run and keep running, don't look back, just move forward._

_She climbed atop a car that was covered in pulsing red flesh. The flesh seemed to reach out and try to grab her as she passed by, managing to rip off her shoe. She grunted, but kept running, the tears pouring freely from her eyes now. _

_As she ran, she heard laughter. She looked right, then left, then up. There! On the rooftops, she could see them. Figures standing about, their arms coated in red and black tentacles, their faces constantly changing in form. _

_Some stood at her height, while others looked to be larger than full grown men. They looked so human, and yet she knew. She knew that these creatures weren't human. They were something else._

_A few of them began cheering the Infected on, crying out to them. A few cried out to her in sarcastic tones, telling her to run faster, to just speed up. She tried, she really did, but no matter what she did, the hordes of Infected seemed to be upon her no matter how fast she was._

"_Help me! Please, somebody help me!" Again and again she screamed, but nobody answered her. She screamed to the skies, to the ground, to the rooftops, to anything that she could see. _

"_HELP ME! PLEASE, SOMEBODY JUST HELP ME!"_

_It was then that the sky itself seemed to part. The blood red clouds and the crimson sky itself seemed to be torn away by an unknown force. She saw the night sky…but at the same time, it wasn't the night sky. There were two moons, both bright silver, and the sky seemed to flash every now and then. _

_Suddenly, she heard it._

"_MIKORO!"_

_A deep voice boomed throughout the entire land. The Infected seemed to disintegrate on the spot, and the laughing creatures on the rooftops shrank into nothingness._

_Again, the voice boomed throughout the sky. But…something was wrong. Suddenly, she felt exhausted. She was tired, she needed to sleep. She didn't even realize that she had fallen on her back in the middle of the street. She closed her eyes and…_

Her eyes snapped open as she heard a voice.

"Mikoro…wake up," the voice said. The tone was a little rough, but it was clear that the owner of the voice was attempting to be gentle.

It was then that she noticed two silver orbs peering at her from a few feet away. The sight almost caused her to scream before lightning flashed outside, illuminating the entire room. She saw that the eyes belonged to Siren Mercer…her friend.

Slowly, her panic began vanishing, replaced by a sense of recognition. The lightning flashed once more, illuminating Siren's face for a second time. His face was a mask of concern and he was peering at her.

"Are you ok? I was in the living room when you began yelling 'help me' in your sleep, so…I came to check up on you…"

Mikoro looked at him for a few seconds, panting after her experience with the nightmare. She slowly calmed down, telling herself that it was alright, that she was safe. She looked at Siren once more, the concerned expression still on his face. A short giggle escaped her lips. Siren raised an eyebrow in response to her reaction."Is something amusing you?"

Mikoro slowly grew silent, staring at her bed sheets as she sat up, a small smile on her face. "It's nothing. I was just laughing because you always said you were a monster, yet here you are, checking up on me because I had a nightmare," she said.

Siren's face changed from a mask of concern to a mask of confusion. "What? I—" Mikoro shook her head to silence him. "Never mind," she said, the small smile never leaving her lips.

She looked outside, noticing the heavy rainfall. "Did you come inside because of the rain?"

Siren shrugged. "I can barely see ten feet in front of me unless I use some visual powers. If I have trouble seeing, a normal human wouldn't see jack squat in that. Besides, anyone with half a brain would realize that this is a horrible time to try and pull a heist; the conditions simply make it too difficult to see and drive."

Mikoro nodded. Lightning flashed once more, illuminating the small, dark room. As quickly as the light appeared, it faded, leaving the two in darkness once more. It was during this time that Mikoro took note of how Siren's eyes seemed to give off a faint silver glow, something she had not noticed until today.

"I haven't really heard from you since you called me this morning and told me about the clothing store incident. How did the rest of the day go?"

"It was pretty calm. Nothing of significance happened after the clothing store thing. Touma went home, I wandered around for a while, bought a book, did a little reading…I came here when it night fell and the rain began."

Mikoro smirked at the thought of Siren, a genetically modified super virus, doing something as normal as reading.

"Well, if you're alright, then I'm going back to the living room."

"Wait, you're just going to sit there and wait until morning? Or until the rain stops?"

Siren nodded before turning toward the door. "Doesn't that seem a bit boring and lonely? If you want, I could get up and we could watch a movie or something…"

Siren shook his head. "You need your sleep. Besides, my mind does not work like that of a human. I don't really get 'bored', and I am incapable of feeling 'lonely'. I'm pretty much one of a kind, the only sapient offshoot of BLACKLIGHT. You can't really get any lonelier than being the only one of your kind, and even so, that never bothered me."

Mikoro nodded her head before she looked up at him in confusion. "Wait, wasn't Craig like you too?"

"No, I am BLACKLIGHT. Craig on the other hand, was once a human whose body was pumped full of the REDLIGHT virus. That specific sample of REDLIGHT also seemed to have characteristics of BLACKLIGHT. In reality, Craig was a highly evolved Infected, far more advanced than the mindless ones from New York. He even said that the technical term for his kind is 'Evolved'. I'm not an Evolved, I'm the BLACKLIGHT virus. There is a difference."

Mikoro accepted his explanation with a nod of her head. "Well, good night I guess," she said. Siren nodded in response and walked toward the door.

"Oh and Siren, thanks for checking up on me," Mikoro said with a smile on her face.

***Page Break***

He heard heavy footsteps on the rooftop behind him as he looked out toward the sky.

"We completed the tests, sir," a male voice spoke out from behind him.

He nodded and turned around. "How many were successful in their transformations?"

"Out of 68 subjects, only a four survived. Out of those four, the virus only thrived in one of them. The virus plugged into him quite well. It managed to change him into the desired form within 48 hours. The other three subjects didn't keel over and die like most of the 68, rather, they became ordinary Infected. This specific strain seems to have trouble producing the desired results."

"Or maybe the DNA required is not very common among the subjects we had."

"Should we find more subjects?"

He shook his head. "No, no. One successful transformation was enough. I trust he is of satisfactory size?"

The Evolved nodded. "He dwarves even the largest of the Leader Hunters. Currently, he is just over twice as tall as the Supreme Hunter."

"Such a pity we lost the Supreme Hunter to ZEUS during the first half of the outbreak."

"Indeed, but we can create more Supreme Hunters. If we can find someone with the right DNA, that is," replied the Evolved.

"You said you could only create one of these creatures, correct?"

"Yes, this was one of the two least successful experiments of Project SPAWN. We created a descent amount of Flyers, several Juggernaut Hunters, but only one of these creatures. The only other experiment of Project SPAWN that had such a low success rate was the Supreme Regurgitator. Only a few Evolved have the ability to regurgitate, but the Supreme Regurgitator is one of a kind. By the way, what should we call the newest specimen?" asked the Evolved, cocking his head to the side.

"He seems far too large to be a variant of the Hunters…How about…Goliath?"

The Evolved grinned. "A suitable name for one such as him. When would you like him to be deployed?"

"There is no need to rush this. There are plenty of more…expendable units for us to send in. I want to save the best for last. Leave this one here for now. We could use a guard dog in this city."

"Not much of a city anymore."

"Oh but you're wrong." He looked out over the edge of the rooftop, waving his arm, gesturing to the burning buildings and blood red skies. He turned his head toward the Evolved.

"This _is _a city. This is _our _city. A city for REDLIGHT and BLACKLIGHT to thrive in, a city where humanity has no place. This is the first City of the Evolved to exist upon this Earth. Before long, every human city will be like this. Besides, some of the scouts have reported sightings of a little something heading toward Academy City."

The Evolved blinked. "Sir?"

"You know about the existence of magicians, correct?"

The Evolved nodded.

"There's one headed for Academy City right now, and she didn't seem too happy."

**Just a fun tidbit of information, Rika's appearance was heavily influenced by a picture/meme I found a while back. I AM NOT the one who drew the picture, and I don't know if this character is from an existing anime, or if she was just drawn by someone who was into anime. Anyway, in case you're interested in seeing the picture that influenced Rika's appearance, look up "tsundere when pissing a off girl is a bad idea" in google images. The link wont work when I post it, so sorry about that. The picture should depict a girl with black hair holding a chair over her head.**

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Kazari Rika: An OC of mine who has not yet been given a major role in the story. Read on to find out who she is and what her back story is :)**

**Why So Many Female Characters: As you know, Siren is the main focus of this fanfic. He is a male character, and so I decided that to balance out the fanfic, I would make many of the other protagonists female so that there is diversity in their little group. **

**Mikoro's Nightmare/The Whole 'Siren Comforting Mikoro' Thing: So since Mikoro is a caring person, it would be logical to assume that hearing that so many innocent people were killed or turned into Infected by government organizations would have a pretty big impact on her. I had that impact manifested in a form that a reader could see; that form being a nightmare. I then had Siren check up on her because I wanted to show that Siren really considers Mikoro a close friend, or maybe something along the lines of a little sister. Like I said before, I don't want to make a sociopathic main character that possesses shape shifting powers and becomes the destroyer of light, anti-paladin, blah, blah, blah. I wanted to give Siren a goal, not only does he want to destroy the viruses because they're dangerous and he wants answers, etc., but now he also wants to destroy the viruses because he has people in this world that he does not want to see die. Also, I always enjoyed the plot device where an anti-hero/villain meets a sweet character who tries to help them and convince them that they're not a monster, causing said anti-hero/villain to want to protect that character. An example would be Accelerator and Last Order. **

**The Goliath, the Juggernaut Hunters, the Flyers, Etc.: As you can see, the names of these creatures came from Prototype 2. If anything, I thought the Infected from Prototype 2 were pretty interesting, so I decided to try and incorporate them into the fanfic. Besides, in Prototype 2, the Juggernauts and the Goliaths never really had their origins explained (if they did I totally missed it), so I could only assume that they were created by the spread and evolution of the virus. In this fanfic, there is a driving force. Somebody is creating these creatures through the use of the virus. In my opinion, this seems like a better way to explain where all these new types of Infected or coming from. Also, in Prototype 2, they were called Juggernauts, but in this fanfic, I named them Juggernaut Hunters.**

**The Clothing Store Incident: I know it may seem cliché to constantly have the main character fighting off bad guys and stopping robberies, but lets be honest; who wants to read several chapters in a row where the main characters sit around and talk? I wanted to add some form of action, and besides, with Touma's luck, he's always getting into trouble. This time however, he had a sapient super virus for a teammate who wiped out said trouble before it could cause any serious damage. Or at least, Siren stopped this little tidbit of trouble before it could do any real harm. Next time…next time it might be a different story…**

**Right/Wrong DNA: So I figured that new strains of REDLIGHT/BLACKLIGHT would have different effects on different people. So, I figured that if somebody with unique/unusual DNA was infected, he/she would produce results that differed from everybody else. Hence, why only one Goliath was created from a group of 68 test subjects.**

**The Supreme Regurgitator: All I can say is; I CANNOT wait until this guy makes his big entrance. And trust me, that entrance will shake the Earth itself XD**


	9. Chapter 9

** DISCLAIMER; I DO NOT OWN [PROTOTYPE], PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!**

** REMEMBER if you're confused, check the Explanations/Clarifications section at the bottom of each chapter. If you're still confused after reading that, please feel free to leave a question in the review section or PM me. I'm happy to answer you guys!**

** Oorrah! Summer vacation has come at last! It feels too good to be true! Phew, that was a crazy year! A quick note; the fact that I'm on summer vacation does NOT mean that I'll be posting everyday or anything like that (one can only type so much before saying "Screw it, that's enough for today!") The fact that I'm on summer vacation means that I might be able to post new chapters more often, but we'll have to see how this plays out. Anyway, on with today's program; Chapter 9 of A Certain Sapient Virus, I hope you all enjoy :)**

**Chapter 9**

**Destroy to Protect**

"COME ON! I'M HERE! COME AND GET ME!"

**He stood on the floor of the building, massive creatures falling from the ceiling, intent on ripping him apart.**

Siren's eyes slowly opened and he looked back towards the working T.V. It was the afternoon now, and Mikoro had decided to watch a movie in which the main character was an adventurer who had dived deep into an ancient Egyptian tomb. His partner was trying to act as a decoy so that the adventurer could recover the treasure. Currently, the one acting as a decoy was trying to get the attention of several mummies to draw them away from the adventurer. He kept shouting those words; "I'm here, come and get me!"

Siren shook his head and sighed. These lost memories kept popping up, and there seemed to be no end to them. Why? Why did he have these memories? Where were they coming from, what was their origin?

Hearing him sigh, Mikoro turned from her spot on her couch to look at him. "You ok there?"

He nodded. There was no reason to tell Mikoro about the lost memories; he didn't want to add to the situation. The memories were his problem; he could take care of them himself. He closed his eyes in thought. If only he knew where they were coming from. It would then be a simple matter of getting to their origin, or origin, and getting the whole story. It was simple compared to the mixed and mashed memories he kept feeling.

He looked out the window. If only it were that simple.

***Page Break***

"Why are we helping him, Touma?"

Touma looked over to Index, her face uncomfortably close to his. He took a step to his left to gain a little distance. "He needs help, Index. We can't just leave him to fight on his own, it wouldn't be right. He's trying to stop the end of the world, and we can't just sit by and watch."

Index frowned. "How do you know he's not lying? Based on what you said you heard from him, I'd say he sounds like an impending apocalypse. What if _he_ wants to bring about the end of the world?"

"If he's going to bring the world to its knees, we die. If he's not, that which he is fighting will bring this world to its knees if we don't help him. He's powerful, but he's not a god. He still needs help. He's fighting his battles on his own and you know that I can't sit by and watch somebody do that, even if they have a dark past," Touma replied.

"Touma, he _eats people_. Doesn't that throw up any warning flags?"

"He saved Mikoro. He also threw Mikoto out of the Leader Hunter's way, according to what he told us."

"How do you know he's not lying?" Index asked, her frown growing.

"Why would he lie about something like that?" Touma asked in return.

"To cozy up to you! He could be plotting a grand betrayal that will leave us all dead!"

"If he wanted us dead, he could have killed us a hundred times over by now. Listen Index, we don't pose a threat to him. Mikoro has no esper powers, and my Imagine Breaker can't affect him. He has no reason to want us dead. Even if we wanted to, I doubt we could do anything to him unless we figured out some major weakness or something."

Index's frown disappeared and she sighed in defeat. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry; it's just that…everything about him seems wrong. He always looks so…I don't know…"

Touma raised an eyebrow. "Intimidating?"

Index shifted in discomfort. "Well, that too. But doesn't it feel unnatural being around him? You can feel it too, right?"

Touma shrugged. "Just because he's not human doesn't mean he deserves to be treated as though he's less than one. He can think, he can talk, and he can feel…I think. Maybe he's got goals, interests, hobbies, I don't know. The point is, he deserves to be treated just like anybody else we've met. He's just having trouble fitting into a world in which he, technically, wasn't meant to exist in. Sapient viruses aren't an everyday thing, in case you haven't noticed, and I'm sure he finds it hard to fit in, especially when humanity tends to fear viruses and stuff like that."

Index nodded in understanding. It wasn't often that the cheerful girl was so serious. It only reinforced Touma's belief that she understood the severity of the current situation. The world was at stake, and here they were, helping a creature that was meant to be the annihilator of nations. He understood her fear, but at the same time, he felt as though Siren deserved a chance.

He looked around them as they walked through the city streets. It had been about two days since the whole clothing store thing. It had attracted a bit of media attention, much to Siren's annoyance, but that was to be expected.

Touma grunted as he bumped into somebody, causing them to drop several papers. "Such misfortune," he mumbled, rubbing his head. He looked up to see a young woman on the ground before him. She had tan skin with long, straight golden hair. A pair of red glasses rested next to her, probably something she dropped after bumping into him. She wore a yellow shirt and black pants. Atop it all, she wore a short, brown leather jacket. As the woman slowly stood up, she opened her eyes, and Touma was met with a pair of golden irises. She looked at him for a second, squinting slightly, before she reached for her glasses.

"Crap! Sorry, sorry! I didn't see you there! I was talking with my friend here and—" Touma began but was cut off as the woman raised her hand.

"No, no. It's fine, really. No damage done," she said with a smile and began putting her glasses back on. "Sorry about that, I wasn't really paying attention either. Are you ok?"

Touma nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Here, let me help you there." He began picking up some of the papers that the woman dropped. He gave them to her just as she finished picking up some of the papers as well. "Thank you," she said, smiling once more.

Touma smiled in return. "No problem. Well, we better get going. Come on Index," he called over his shoulder.

With that, the two began walking away. What they failed to notice, was the smile on the woman's face. "So that's the Imagine Breaker? Hmm, this'll be easier than I thought," she muttered as the two walked away. "The only issue will be finding him again."

***Page Break***

"—not even listening to Misaka Misaka!"

Accelerator was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of a young girl screaming at him. He looked down at the girl by his side with a frown. "What is it now?"

The girl pouted. "Why aren't you listening to Misaka? Misaka Misaka was sure her story was interesting, she says while pouting to express her annoyance."

Accelerator rolled his eyes. "Children's' stories are far from interesting," he growled.

The brown haired girl frowned. "Misaka is not a child! She is mature and smart, says Misaka Misaka, puffing out her chest to show how much pride she has in herself!"

"Tch! Mature people don't try to advertise their own maturity, brat!"

The small girl crossed her arms. "Misaka is angry with you, says Misaka Misaka, crossing her arms in an attempt to look angrier."

"Fine, I don't care! I have more important things to deal with!"

The girl leaned forward. "Like what? You don't seem very busy, says Misaka Misaka."

"Tch, I _am _busy! Look, there are some toys and crap over there! Go look at them or something. Maybe buy a lollipop or whatever." At this point in time, Accelerator was quite fed up with this child. Sure, he wanted to keep her safe, but he didn't want to deal with her childish behavior.

Said girl pouted all the more at him, her face expressing child-like anger. "Fine, says Misaka Misaka. Misaka will go enjoy herself while you waste your time!" With that, the girl turned and began walking off, most likely trying to find some form of entertainment.

Accelerator sighed as he sat on a bench. Yomikawa told him to take Last Order out for the day so that she could work on what Accelerator had requested of her. After he found the weeping man who was muttering about a guy with claws, Accelerator had decided to investigate. He looked further along the alley, but everybody he found was dead, unconscious, or too busy weeping about to tell him what happened. Eventually, he decided to give up on the alley. He had left the alley to avoid being blamed for the crime, deciding that it was best to let somebody else call the authorities. That night, he had gone home and asked Yomikawa if she knew anything about espers with claws. At first, she questioned him about why he wanted to know something like that. Realizing he wouldn't be able to lie to her about this, Accelerator explained to her what he had found.

Like him, Yomikawa's curiosity led her to begin a small investigation. She began looking at many known espers, looking for somebody who fit the bill. Last Order had been asleep, so there was no need to worry about her finding out. Yomikawa and Accelerator decided that it would be best not to involve the girl in this, seeing as she had been through enough in her short life. If anything, they figured if this esper was a threat, Accelerator would be able to take him, or her, on if need be.

However, they couldn't find any data on an esper with claws. Yomikawa had worked up until midnight, but then she decided that she'd be able to get more work done in the morning when she was well rested. But by the time she woke up the next day, Last Order was already up and about. So, in order to prevent the girl from getting involved, Yomikawa asked Accelerator to take the girl out to the mall for the day. So here he was, the strongest esper in Academy City, babysitting somebody that looked like a 10 year old version of Misaka Mikoto.

He didn't know why, but he had an uneasy feeling about this whole thing. The bodies in the alley, this…clawed esper…all of it. It seemed wrong. He couldn't quite place a finger on it, but he felt as though it would be better if this clawed esper was taken care of quickly. If anything, he wanted to keep Last Order away from the mysterious esper for her own safety.

It was then that he realized his mistake. He wanted to keep Last Order safe and yet…

"I just sent her away," he groaned while face palming. He slowly stood up from his position on the bench.

"Brat! Where are you?"

***Page Break***

"Why does Accelerator have to be so mean, wonders Misaka Misaka as she speed walks around the area, looking for something to entertain herself with."

Last Order was currently doing exactly what she said; speed walking around, looking for something to do. Sadly, she couldn't find anything fun to do. The day was going by slowly, but her boredom was going nowhere fast. If Accelerator was here, maybe she could tease him to pass the time. Unfortunately, _someone_ just had to get angry at her for telling him about the movie she saw last night. It was a good movie! Was it too much to ask him to listen to her stories?

Last Order looked around some more, looking for a way to pass the time until Accelerator would come looking for her. He was in the wrong, so he had to come find her and apologize!

…

"What's taking Accelerator to so long to figure out his mistake, Misaka Misaka shouts to the heavens in anger!" How bored she was with the current turn of events!

"Grr, fine! Misaka Misaka will do the mature thing and go find Accelerator herself! _Then_ he can apologize!"

Last Order whirled around, ignoring the strange looks she got from the people around her. She began walking, or rather jogging, around, looking for Accelerator. Luckily for her, Accelerator's hair was one of a kind; nobody around here would have such strange hair, so it would be easy finding him!

***Page Break***

Siren sat on the empty bench with a groan. After finishing the movie with Mikoro, he had gone out to find something else to do. And what had he discovered? That today was _beyond _slow. He may have not been all that affected by boredom, but still, this was ridiculous. He almost wished he left Craig alive so that he'd have a punching bag in case of slow days like this.

…

_No. Craig had to die. He kidnapped Mikoro, unleashed a Leader Hunter in the city, and then let out those…flying Infected things. What were they called? Flyers maybe?_

He shook his head and closed his eyes. If he needed sleep, he'd probably have slept the day away. However, falling asleep was hard for him, not to mention uncomfortable. His instincts always screamed at him to be alert, to be ready. During sleep, he was basically rendering himself unconscious for several hours at a time. That was _not_ the way he planned on spending his time. Besides, he didn't actually _need _sleep. Asking him to sleep was like asking a person who just ate to eat a second meal; it was pointless and uncomfortable.

He looked around him, his super human senses giving him far greater awareness than what a human could achieve. He could hear people conversing around him, he could smell people cooking meals in the restaurants around him, and he could even hear some of the beating hearts of the people who walked close by.

He blinked. Wait. In order to hear a heart, somebody had to be _very _close to him. Right now, he could hear a beating heart. He began focusing on what he could sense instead of his thoughts. He heard breathing from behind him; _concealed _breathing. Somebody was trying to sneak up on him.

Immediately, his killing instincts kicked in; he stopped breathing to increase his concentration and the index finger on his left hand slowly changed into a small Claw. The silver knife-like protrusion was just long enough to cut into someone's neck and kill them. He waited until whoever was behind him was close enough. He waited for them to make their move. Outwardly, he looked as calm as ever, but on the inside, his biomass was in turmoil; shifting and writhing in anticipation.

He waited for as long as he dared, the person behind him slowly getting closer, their heartbeat and breathing increasing in volume as they closed the distance. He heard a giggle behind him, and realized something was off. The giggle sounded so…_child-like._

It was then that he heard it; a child's voice. "Found you, shouts Misaka Misaka as she throws her arms around you!"

***Page Break***

Last Order grinned as she held on to Accelerator. She knew he didn't like being hugged like this, but hey, this was punishment for the way he treated her! She giggled as Accelerator seemed to stiffen beneath her grip. She waited for him to start yelling at her, only so she would be able to silence him and tell him that he had to apologize. However, the yelling that she expected never came; there was only silence, and Accelerator was as still as a corpse; she couldn't even feel his heart beat, nor could she feel him breathing.

She frowned as she opened her eyes. She then noticed something…odd. When she last saw him, Accelerator was wearing his usual clothing; a white shirt with grey stripes along with dark grey pants and black shoes. Now, he was wearing white shoes with black pants, a grey hoodie, and a black vest. It also seemed as though his hair now looked a bit more…silver. And shorter. And he looked taller. Also, he didn't have his cane with him.

…

This wasn't Accelerator.

_Uh oh_

She didn't have time to move before she felt a pair of cold hands grab her just beneath the shoulders. The person who she was holding on to, who most certainly wasn't Accelerator, hoisted her over his head before she was face to face with him. The world looked upside down from the way he was holding her, but she could still clearly make out his face. It was similar to Accelerator's in the sense that he wore an annoyed expression, and his eyes seemed just as cold, if not colder. But while Accelerator had white hair and red eyes, this stranger had grey eyes and silver hair. His skin was also slightly paler than Accelerator's.

Now that Last Order had gotten a better look at him, she saw that she made a mistake when she threw her arms around him, thinking that he was Accelerator. But honestly, how many guys were there running around who had such unusual hair colors?!

The cold stare that the stranger was giving her didn't let up for a second, not even when he spoke. "Who are you?"

Last Order, who was used to Accelerator's attitude, was not all that affected by the stranger's tone of voice; she merely smiled at him. "Misaka Misaka or Last Order. Whichever you prefer, says Misaka Misaka in the most cheerful tone she can muster."

The stranger blinked. "Why are you talking in third perso—wait. Misaka? As in—? Oh." Last Order frowned as the stranger sighed. "Great, the _original_ was annoying enough. Now, there's a mini version of her," he mumbled under his breath.

Last Order cocked her head. "Misaka Misaka doesn't understand, she says innocently, cocking her head slightly."

The silver-haired stranger shook his head. "Nothing. Look, I think you mistook me for someone else, so do us both a favor and keep moving." With that he set her on the ground and leaned back on the bench. He didn't even bother throwing another glance at her! Seriously, he was as cold as Accelerator!

She adjusted her white coat and looked around, preparing to leave. It was then she noticed something. This was the same bench she last saw Accelerator on. Now, here she was, but there was no Accelerator. She looked around some more, looking for any sign of Accelerator.

After several minutes of looking around she came to a brilliant conclusion; she was lost and Accelerator was nowhere to be found…oh boy. She began thinking of a way she could find Accelerator before an idea came to mind.

"Um, excuse me, says Misaka Misaka as she looks at you hopefully. Could you help Misaka Misaka find her friend?"

The silver-haired stranger looked at her for a second before…

"No."

"Ach!" Last Order's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock. He didn't even care that she was lost! "Please, Misaka Misaka whines, trying to get you to help her in her time of need."

This time, the silver-haired stranger didn't even look her way. Last Order pouted. At least she could get Accelerator to pay attention when she whined. "Pretty please, begs Misaka Misaka, pouting to try and get you to find it in your heart to help her."

At this, the silver-haired teen raised an eyebrow, the ghost of a smile just barely touching his lips, as if smirking at some kind of inside joke. But just as quickly as the small smile appeared, it vanished. Then, the teen simply stood up and began walking away.

Last Order began walking after him, still trying to convince him to help her. "Why can't you help Misaka, asks Misaka Misaka as she follows you."

"Because I'm busy."

"With what?"

"Stuff."

"Like?"

"I'm going somewhere."

"Where?"

"The mental hospital if this keeps up," he muttered.

"What if you help Misaka Misaka find her friend and you found your destination along the way? That's a win-win situation, says Misaka Misaka, trying to persuade you."

Getting no reaction from the silver-haired teen, Last Order decided that it was time for desperate measures. In the sweetest voice she could muster, she spoke one word.

"Pleeeaaassseee?"

…

"Pleeeaaassseee?"

…

"Pleeeaaa—"

"Alright fine, damn it! Just stop whining!"

Last Order grinned as she pumped her fist in victory. Success! She knew that if she tried hard enough, no man, woman, or child could resist her persuasion skills!

"Alright, who're we looking for?"

"Well, he looks a lot like you, says Misaka Misaka, attempting to describe Accelerator."

The silver-haired teen blinked. "Accelerator? As in the strongest esper in Academy City?"

Now it was Last Order's turn to blink. "You know him? Misaka Misaka didn't think Accelerator had any friends…"

The silver-haired teen face palmed. "I don't _know _him. I know _of _him. What matters is that I already know what he looks like."

Last Order waved him off. "Misaka knew that, exclaims Misaka Misaka! She just thought that—"

"Whatever. I know who we're looking for, so let's hurry up and find him. I don't plan on spending the day with a four-year old."

Last Order tripped as she heard his words. She quickly jumped to her feet, pointing an accusing figure at the teen, her face contorted in child-like fury. "Misaka is not four years old, shouts Misaka Misaka! She is very mature for her age and—"

"Fine, fine, whatever. Let's go already; I don't want to waste too much time here."

Last Order frowned as she was interrupted for a second time. However, instead of getting angry, she decided to do the _mature_ thing. "Misaka doesn't know your name, says Misaka Misaka, attempting to initiate introductions."

The silver-haired teen looked to her briefly before he began scanning the crowd "Siren," he said.

Last Order blinked. "Siren? What siren? Misaka doesn't hear any sirens, says Misaka Misaka as she looks around for the device mentioned by the strange teen."

Said 'strange teen' face palmed at her words. "My name, that's my _name_; Siren."

Last Order's face burned as she realized her somewhat stupid mistake. "Sorry, mumbles Misaka Misaka," she said.

Siren shrugged. "Where was the last place you saw Accelerator?"

Last Order pointed toward the bench they had been walking away from. "On the bench that you were on, says Misaka Misaka. That's partially why she mistook you for Accelerator; you took his spot, she explains."

Siren nodded before he began looking around for Accelerator.

Last Order decided to follow his example and began scanning the crowd. When the two realized Accelerator was not in the area, they began to move again, all the while scanning the crowds of people.

Last Order, though she wouldn't admit it, had to struggle a bit to keep up with Siren. By the time she began looking around the crowd, he had already looked through most of them. At first, she had attributed this to him being unobservant, but that theory was disproved when he warned her about a puddle of someone's spilled drink. She almost stepped in the mess without even noticing it. Siren on the other hand, seemed to know exactly where it was and where she was walking. Last Order figured he must have actually been very observant and was simply faster than her when it came to looking through crowds.

***Page Break***

Siren was not very happy at the moment. He and this…Mini Misaka, or Last Order, or whatever the heck her name was had spent almost half an hour searching for Accelerator. Usually, he would have just given up and moved on by now; but this kid was one of Mikoto's clones. This…Last Order and Mikoro shared a connection, and he didn't want to leave someone like this out here all by herself. Mikoro must have known this girl, and Siren was making an attempt to treat Mikoro's friends with a level of respect, though it was a small level. He had little respect for those that had yet to prove their worth. Mikoro had proven her worth as a friend, but this child had not.

The two kept walking around, searching for Accelerator but they were unsuccessful in finding him. It also didn't help that he couldn't start asking around because people tended to walk away whenever he even got close. Last Order tried asking some people, but to no avail.

He ran a hand through his short, messy silver hair, trying to think of something to help find Accelerator. By this point, Last Order wasn't even looking for Accelerator. On the contrary, she seemed to be looking at everything _els_e. Siren was still looking for Accelerator, but he was putting very little effort into the search.

"Look, kid, we're getting nowhere fast with this. Why can't you go home and wait for him there?"

Last Order opened her mouth to reply but immediately froze, her eyes widening. Siren blinked before realizing she was staring at something behind him. He turned around looking for whatever could have…

_What the hell is that thing?_

There, making its way through a doorway, was a giant, earthly brown, stone…thing. It was comparable in size to a Hunter, but slightly smaller…and it was made of stone. Its chest looked like a giant cube constructed of stone, and its limbs seemed to be made of smaller stones. The head was, like the rest of the body, a cube with odd facial features.

Siren simply stared at the creature for a few seconds, ignoring the groups of people who were now backing up. The creature started scanning the crowd, just like he had been mere moments ago. It seemed as though it didn't like what it saw, because it seemed to huff in annoyance. It was then that its mouth began opening and closing, and a woman's voice was projected from the creatures gaping jaws.

"Alright everybody, LISTEN UP! As of right now, you're all hostages!"

The creature's mouth was not in sync with the words coming from it. This led Siren to believe that this was some kind of…puppet, and the user was transmitting her voice through unknown means.

"Nobody has to die here! I'm here because of one thing; THE IMAGINE BREAKER!"

Siren looked up in alarm at her words. The Imagine Breaker? Touma? This weirdo was after Touma?

"Hand over Kamijou Touma and nobody has to get hurt! I repeat; HAND OVER KAMIJOU TOUMA AND NOBODY HAS TO GET HURT!"

Nobody spoke, nobody moved. After a few seconds, Siren noticed people looking around, asking each other things like, "Who's this Kamijou guy?" or "Do we know where he is?"

It was then that Siren decided to speak up. He stepped forward, immediately catching the attention of most everybody in the room. "What do you want with Touma?"

The creature also took a step forward. "You're not him. You don't need to worry about why I need him. All you need to worry about is getting him to me. Is that clear?"

Siren craned his neck, an action born of habit, not of actual need, seeing as he didn't have any bones. "Let's make a better deal; you get lost, and I won't beat you to death with fat thing's limbs. How's that sound?"

If the creature could show facial expressions, he was sure it would have narrowed its eyes. "Oh! A _feisty _one! Tell me, _boy_, what does it matter to you if I take Kamijou Touma? Is he a friend of yours?"

Siren crossed his arms. "None of your business. Now, are you going to make this easy on everybody and walk away or…"

He smirked as he leaned forward. "Are you going to make me _escort _you to the nearest coffin? Honestly, I'm fine with both."

The creature said nothing, and Siren noticed the ground shake slightly. Soon, everybody present could feel hear heavy footsteps echoing throughout the mall. He turned around, only to find a creature that was identical to the one in front of him.

Female laughter echoed from the mouths of both creatures, lasting for several seconds. "What? Surprised that I have more than one Golem? Trust me, there's _plenty _more where these came from," the voice said with a laugh.

Siren looked between the two creatures with a look of annoyance on his face. "Great, now there are _two _numbskulls to deal with."

"Heh, you say that as though you think you can beat these two. Reality check kid, the age of espers has come to an end!"

Siren smirked. "Indeed it has," he said, loud enough for only him, and possibly Last Order, to hear. He glanced back, noticing Last Order's confused expression. Yup. She heard him.

"Hey kid, do me a favor and get back. I'm not going to bother saving you if I start fighting. You're responsible for yourself, so be smart, and take cover."

Last Order looked at him for a second before, wisely, backing off. Siren turned to look back at the first of the two Golems. "I hope you have a lot of these, because two won't get you very far with me."

That same female laughter filled the room. Man, he was getting tired of this idiot's voice. "If you want to fight, who am I to deny you that? Fair warning though; I don't hold back, even if my opponent is a _child._" She put emphasis on the last word, probably trying to anger him. Still, he found irony in her words. Here she was, talking down to a creature with _thousands _of years worth of stolen memories, and she was calling _him _a _child. _

"Fair warning; I don't hold back, even if my opponent is a spineless bitch," he replied, taking a combat stance, holding his fists out in front of him like a boxer.

The laughter stopped and people began backing up all the more, muttering amongst themselves. Both Golems had grown quite and were staring at him with those strange, empty eye sockets. Without warning, the second of the two Golems rushed forward. Although 'rushed' was probably not the correct term. It would be more accurate to say that the Golem 'stumbled forward with mild speed in an attempt to reach him'. He smirked as he jumped out of its reach, landing several feet in front of the first Golem. He waited for it to attack, and attack it did. The creature swung an arm forward, which he dodged with ease. He kept jumping back, leading the Golem to the other one.

To most, it might have looked like he had forgotten about the second Golem. However, the moment the second Golem had come close enough behind him, he jumped up, allowing the two Golems to crash into each other. He stretched out his right foot, preparing to land a hard kick on one of the Golem's head. As gravity carried him back toward the ground, he flipped forward, putting some more momentum behind his kick and sent his foot crashing onto the top of the first Golem's head. The result was…not what he expected. His foot left several small cracks in the Golem's head, but other than that, it looked unharmed. He jumped away from the two beasts, landing on his hind legs.

_What? How is that Golem is still standing? I've crushed concrete without trying, why is this giant rock not lying in pieces right now?_

"Ha! Judging by the look on your face, I'd say that you didn't expect that! Here's the deal; I'm reinforcing the stone these Golems are made of with my magic. The stone becomes far more durable, capable of sustaining far more damage than an ordinary rock. You can't break it, because of that! Heck, I bet half of that went over your head; you probably don't even understand what magic even is!"

Siren frowned. Great, _magic_.

_If I used something like the Hammerfist, I could crush this pitiful excuse for a fighter in a heartbeat. But there are so many people here! If they see me, it could mean Blackwatch could find out about me by reading the things these people might text or post online. But my base strength doesn't seem to be enough to fight these things. What to do, what to do?_

***Page Break***

_Why now? Why now of all times?_

Accelerator gritted his teeth as the Golem in the middle of the street asked for Touma for a third time. He had figured that Last Order had gone home because he couldn't find her _anywhere_. He left the mall not too long ago, and ended up running into this…_thing._

_ Looks like I'll have to kill it…_

***Page Break***

"What does that thing want with _that_ idiot?"

Mikoto looked at the brown…thing before her. She didn't completely understand what it was yet, but she knew it was looking for Touma, for whatever reasons. "Hey!" Mikoto yelled. "What do you want with Touma?"

"Like I just told that other kid through one of my other Golems; it's not of your business," said a woman's voice from the Golem's mouth.

Mikoto blinked. What the heck was this lunatic talking about? How was she even talking? This thing barely moved its mouth! Wait, did she just imply that she had more of these things wandering around?

Despite all this, Mikoto smiled as electricity began dancing around her body. If this freak wanted to hurt somebody, she'd have to get through the Railgun herself to do so!

***Page Break***

Touma yawned as he and Index neared his apartment. It had been a pretty boring day, but he and Index were finally home. He stretched as he looked toward his apartment. The happy moment was interrupted by a loud noise, something that could have passed for a small earthquake…

"Index! How can you already be hungry again?! We JUST ate!"

Index frowned. "I need my food Touma, and my stomach's telling me that it wants food now!"

Touma shook his head. "Come on, let's get inside."

Oddly enough, he felt as though he had just missed something important…

…

_Oh well._

***Page Break***

Siren slammed his shoulder into the back of one of the Golems with enough force to rip apart concrete. However, the magic reinforced stone that the Golem was made of refused to shatter.

He growled in annoyance as the amount of people still present was still far too much for him to begin using his powers. The one time you need people to run, and what do they do? They stand there, gawking like morons.

The other Golem, which had been on the ground, had begun picking itself off the ground, and slowly began turning towards him. Siren's face showed no emotion as he glared at the rising beast. He wasn't afraid of either of these pushovers, but he couldn't just kill them because there were still too many witnesses.

He looked around and noticed that the Golem that he had just slammed into was already turning to face him.

_Damn it! These creatures are so annoying! Damn it people, get lost so I can rip these idiots limb from limb!_

Unfortunately, the surrounding crowd couldn't hear his mental rant, and thus refused to move, instead, they were fixated on the battle before them. He looked toward each Golem as it began closing in on him. He prepared to attack when…

A scream. More screams.

He looked behind him, only to find a third Golem had appeared during his scuffle with the first two. The third Golem held a young boy by his leg, dangling him upside down over a couple as they franticly tried to get their son back.

"LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN! SINCE YOUR HERO HERE IS PREVENTING ME FROM GETTING ANY WORK DONE, I'LL ASK THE AUDIENCE! WHERE IS KAMIJOU TOUMA?!"

The Golem's fist began closing around the boy's leg, slowly crushing it. "With each passing second, this kid is getting closer to permanently losing his leg! The longer it takes you all to find out where Kamijou Touma is, the closer he gets to losing this leg!"

Siren's eyes widened. Something inside him seemed to remember this.

"ALEX!"

**A hulking Leader Hunter held a woman in its hand. The woman was reaching out to him, screaming his name, calling for help.**

Siren felt inexplicable anger rising within him; a primal rage that screamed at him to rip apart these creatures _and _their creator. He didn't completely understand why but…

_Dana…Greene…the Leader Hunter…_

Time seemed to slow and the world seemed to go dark as Siren was pulled _into_ his own thoughts. He was vaguely aware of the two Golems that had fallen on top of him, attempting to crush him.

_My sister. She has my sister, Greene has my sister! _

_ Dana…no…not her…you can't take her away._

Love; the love a brother feels for his sister; it was the only form of love he ever knew.

Hatred; the hatred he felt for Greene when she took _his _sister was greater than any hatred he ever felt for Blackwatch.

Fear; the fear he felt when the only human he cared for at the time was taken from him.

Happiness; one of the few times he was truly happy. The time he brought his sister safely home. The times he could spend with his sister.

Rage; the rage he felt watching as his sister was stolen from him. The rage he felt _now._

_**She's no better than Greene. She doesn't deserve to live. Tear her apart; tear her apart like Greene.**_

Siren's eyes widened as the thoughts came to mind. It was as though there was a…voice that was telling him what to do. The voice was so eerily similar to his and yet…it was different.

_**You know who you are. You know who you will always be. It doesn't matter how much your body or name changes, you are who you are. Nothing will change that.**_

These thoughts; they were his own. He knew it was his own thoughts; this is what _he _was thinking. They were foreign…yet familiar. It was as though they were deep thoughts, buried under thousands of years worth of stolen memories. He felt as though the lost memories he had been experiencing were trying to break through, trying to _reveal _something. Images kept flashing through his mind, ranging from New York itself, to the hooded figure that called itself Alex Mercer.

It was then that an image of Alex Mercer flooded his mind. Brown shoes, blue jeans, a white shirt, a grey hoodie, and a black leather jacket with that same red, wing-like symbol emblazoned upon the back.

A second image appeared. This time, the image was of _him_; of Siren Mercer. He was wearing his usual clothing; white shoes with black pants, a grey hoodie, and a black vest. As the two images stood side by side, he noticed more similarities than just the clothing choices. Their faces were very similar; Siren's looking like a younger version of Alex's, albeit still extremely similar. Their eyes were nearly identical, the only difference being the color; Alex's were an icy blue as opposed to Siren's grey eyes. The similarities kept piling up; their size, build, facial expressions, stance, so many things were so similar between the two that it startled Siren.

Then, the two images began merging, moving closer and closer together until they were right on top of each other. The eyes, nose, mouth, _everything _began merging. Before long, in the place of Alex and Siren, there stood one being. In terms of his appearance, he looked like a combination of the previous images. He wore brown shoes and blue jeans, a white shirt, and a grey hoodie. His vest looked exactly like Alex's coat, except it had no sleeves; every other detail had stayed exactly the same.

Siren felt tentacles surrounding his body, changing him. Before long, the process stopped, and he felt himself standing, the rage he felt now at its peak.

_**She's no better than Greene. RIP HER TO SHREDS!**_

_I…I…_

_**I AM THE PROTOTYPE, I AM BLACKLIGHT, AND THIS BITCH'S TIME IS UP!**_

Images of Dana, his _sister_, began flashing through his mind. More and more images began flashing through his mind. Images of Mikoro, Touma, the look on Mikoro's face when he comforted her, the way Touma talked about helping people, and so many more images.

_Humanity as a whole is a twisted thing. But there are those that are an exception. Humanity as a whole is not worth protecting, but there are those that deserve to live. And yet, there are those that deserve to __**die.**__This bitch is one of them! _

Whether it was because he was reminded of his sister, or for some other reason, he didn't know. All he knew was that he had to move, _now._

The world slowly came back into view as he was pulled from his thoughts. He slowly began standing up to his full height, his arms transforming; warping in masses of black tentacles as they tried to take a new shape.

He began pushing against the two Golems that rested atop him. "GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!" He shrieked.

He rose to his full height, both arms transforming into Hammerfists as he slammed them into the Golems that were trying to pin him down. Both Golems were sent flying to either side of him, and he dashed forward at speeds that most humans could only dream about. To the naked eye, he would have looked like nothing more than a red streak.

He closed the distance between him and the newest Golem faster than anyone could blink. Time seemed to slow again as he jumped in front of the Golem's face, his right Hammerfist pulled back.

With as much force as he could muster, he slammed his Hammerfist into the Golem's face; the resulting force was nearly incomprehensible to the human mind. The Golem's head was torn apart and its body was sent flying backward at ridiculous speeds. The creature dropped the boy just as Siren had closed the distance, and he landed safely on the ground at his parents' feet. The Golem on the other hand, flew, not-so-safely, into a wall, broke through it, kept flying, met another wall, broke through that one as well, and continued on until it was out of sight.

Siren landed on both feet, panting slightly, not from exhaustion or anything of the sort, but from the pure rage that had boiled within him. His eyes now held a cold fury that looked as though it would be enough to turn a tropical resort into a dead, frozen wasteland.

He turned toward the two Golems he had knocked down earlier. Both were now picking themselves off the ground, their bodies cracked and falling apart. "Blackwatch, Gentek, people like _you_; you're the reasons why the world today has so many issues. People like you who think that the world revolves around them, who think that there is no harm in sacrificing an innocent person for a selfish desire, for something you _want_ in your life!"

It was ironic, he knew. He, who had killed so many humans, was standing here, defending them from these creatures. Maybe he was a hypocrite for saying such things, maybe he was no better than the woman who was controlling the Golems, but there was one key difference. When _he _killed a civilian, it was to replace lost biomass. He did it to _survive_. This woman…she had used a _child_ to try and force people to do her work for her. Even if she needed to find Touma to ensure her own survival, which he highly doubted, using a _child_ to force people into finding him for her was something he didn't plan on letting go.

He slowly began calming down. "People like you call others evil; you shift the blame to those that are different. You never take responsibility, well here's something for you; your time's up. As soon as I figure out where you're really hiding, I'll find you; get ready for that."

He took a step forward, both Hammerfists transforming into Claws. With a grunt, he slammed both Claws into the ground, sending tendrils through the ground from each Claw. Without warning, massive black spikes tore their way through the ground beneath each of the Golems. The spikes ripped the Golems apart, leaving them as little less than piles of broken stones.

The spikes retracted into his Claws, and he turned his limbs back into their normal state. It was then that he noticed himself in a nearby piece of broken glass.

_Is that…me?_

He looked different. His clothes were replaced by another set; the set that the merged image wore when Siren saw him; blue jeans, brown shoes, white shirt, grey hoodie, and a black vest that looked like a sleeveless copy of Alex's coat. With the hood pulled back, Siren got a good look at his own face. It looked mostly the same, except for his eyes. They, of everything that had changed about him, were the most startling change. Now, the sclera was the same shade of grey that his irises once were, and the current color of his irises was an icy blue, just like Alex's…

He could clearly see his own hair, and was happy to find that it had remained unchanged; it was still short, messy, and unusually silver. It was then that a horrible realization came to him. They saw him. _Everybody _here saw his powers. If this got on the Internet, it would alert Blackwatch. The people around him were now probably terrified. They were probably calling the authorities right now, franticly praying for him to be taken captive.

And then, the unthinkable happened.

"THAT WAS AWESOME, SHOUTS MISAKA MISAKA!"

Siren blinked.

_What?_

He turned around, the little girl he had been helping, Last Order, was jumping in front of the crowd, her eyes wide in amazement as she stared at him.

"Misaka has never seen such strange powers before, shouts Misaka Misaka, expressing her awe at the situation and its outcome!"

The crowed seemed to snap out of its daze, people walking forward, shouting various things.

"Dude, that was AWESOME!"

"What kind of power was that?"

"What level esper are you?"

"How'd you change your clothes and eye color?"

"Why are your eyes glowing?"

"That guy saved that kid!"

"Shit, did you see that Golem thing?! I bet you it's still flying from that punch to the head!"

"Damn, look how many holes there are in these walls, I can't even see where that thing landed!"

"Did you see those spikes?! That was amazing!"

"Damn it, why do espers get to have all the fun?! I want powers!"

"Anybody seen my phone? I kinda wanted to take a picture!"

"Anybody seen my wife? Oh wait, is she gone? Am I…am I free?"

"I'm right here, damn it!"

"H-honey! H-hey there…where were you?"

Siren stared at the scene with a look of absolute bewilderment.

_Humans are weird._

***Page Break***

Mikoto smirked as her blast of electricity struck the Golem once more. She was putting massive amounts of force behind her attacks; enough to pick the Golem apart piece by piece. Sadly, there was more than one Golem.

She whirled around and fired another blast of electricity at a different Golem, taking its arm off. The Golem stumbled backwards, but then began its slow march toward her one more. She fired another blast, taking the Golem's legs out from under it. This time, the Golem fell to the ground, but began crawling toward her.

She ran forward, straight toward the fallen Golem. As she neared it, she jumped on the Golem's head. She lifted both hands, electricity sparking to life around them. She then smashed both fists against the Golem's head, sending lethal amounts of electricity into its body. The electricity kept running through the Golem, the intense force beginning to rip off pieces of its body.

Mikoto was forced to stop and jump off as another Golem attempted to crush her under its foot. However, now that she had safely dodged, the Golem only ended up smashing the head of one of its own.

She landed a few feet away from the Golem, electricity already building up around her. She launched a massive amount of electricity into the standing Golem's chest, sending it flying backwards into a vehicle.

Academy City's third ranked Level 5 esper was currently outside on the streets, battling a group of earth-warrior things that the woman's voice referred to as 'Golems', and to the people around her, it looked as though she was, kind of, holding her own.

She kept firing blasts as the group of the four remaining Golem walked towards her. What she didn't account for was the dark shadow falling over her. She turned to look at whatever may be behind her, only to find a massive Golem, its fist raised high over its head. Her eyes widened as she realized she didn't have enough time to dodge or attack; the Golem was already bringing its fist down upon her.

It was then that a strange sound echoed throughout the area and the Golem next to her simply…fell apart. Mikoto blinked in surprise before she saw a certain unlucky teenager with black, spiked hair.

"Sorry I'm late! I just heard about this on the news!"

Mikoto face palmed at Touma's declaration.

_They've been looking for him, and he didn't even know…_

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**The Strange Sound: This is the sound made by Touma's Imagine Breaker when he cancels out an attack. I'm sorry, but I just can't describe that sound. I've never heard anything like it in real life, so I have nothing to compare it to. If you want, you can look it up. It can be found on YouTube for those of you who wish to have a better idea of what the noise sounds like, just look up 'Imagine Breaker sound effect'.**

**Why Could Mikoto Harm the Golems, But Siren Couldn't At First?: Siren had to hold back to hide his real strength for one, and think about it, lightning is very hot, and moves extremely fast. Couple that with the amounts Mikoto was firing and she'd be able to cause more significant damage to the Golems than Siren's bare hands. However, the moment he got serious, Siren was able to rip apart the Golems, so for those of you who might still be confused, yes, Siren is more powerful than Mikoto.**

**The Crowd's Reaction to Siren's Power: People tend to have an 'awestruck' reaction to things that are truly amazing. Watching somebody grow Claws and save a lot of people would cause people to have that 'awestruck' reaction I mentioned. Also, while they were initially wary of him, the crowd became a little more accepting of Siren after they watched him save the life of a little boy. Essentially, they're thinking that he's not the bad guy, seeing as he saved a child.**

**Why The Comedy In Some Parts?: A portion of this chapter was told from Last Order's perspective. If you know her as a character, you know she's a weird, childish, playful character who has a lot of comedic moments. I wrote the chapter in a way to try and reflect that. **

**Last Order: She is NOT an OC (I don't own her), but she is definitely a funny character. Anyway, she tends to talk in third person, and when she does, I've seen her refer to herself as 'Misaka' or 'Misaka Misaka'. I didn't know which one was the 'correct' way (I have seen the English dubbed and part of the English subbed version), so I had her use both references when she spoke. I tried checking her speech patterns by watching parts of the shows again, but still found her to refer to herself as both 'Misaka' and 'Misaka Misaka'. If the way I set up her speech is bothering you, I am sorry, but I don't memorize the way people talk during an anime (even if they are pretty funny).**

**Siren Remembering Dana (The Sister): It will be shown how Siren deals with the realization that he has someone who is his sister in all but blood in later chapters, so stay tuned!**

**Siren's Small Transformation: Oh boy, Siren's memories are starting to have a greater effect on him! Since his actions are can be influenced by his memories, I figured, for a shape shifter, exceptionally strong memories can trigger small changes in physical form. This should be especially true for [Prototype] characters, such as Alex Mercer, who change so often and without any major effort. Don't worry though; this is only the beginning of Siren's journey to self-discovery. There's still plenty more for this sapient virus to learn, especially about himself! **

**Where Was Kazari Rika During All This?: She wasn't there…But seriously, she's not here for a reason. That reason will be explained in later chapters. Don't worry, she'll have her moments.**


	10. Chapter 10

DISCLAIMER; I DO NOT OWN [PROTOTYPE], PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Explanations/Clarifications section has some pretty important stuff today. This chapter might cause some confusion during a certain scene (it's a normal scene, don't worry) so I want to clarify any confusion as soon as possible. I highly suggest you read it so that you understand why this or that happens. If you don't, you might run into future confusion that could have been avoided. **

**Chapter 10**

**Search and Destroy**

Siren pulled up his hood as he exited the mall, the shouts of the crowd of grateful people still audible to him. He didn't exactly understand their reaction, but now was not the time to ponder such things. Right now, he had a job to do; kill a certain someone.

He jumped toward the side of a nearby building, effortlessly sprinting up the side as though it were nothing more than an average sidewalk. The building wasn't very tall, so he reached the top rather quickly. Once he was sure he was away from prying eyes, he pulled his cell phone from its biomass cocoon within his chest. He quickly brought up his contacts list, which currently consisted of only one name; Mikoro. He tapped the number, and brought the phone to his ear. After a few seconds, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello?"

"Mikoro, hey, it's me. Listen, do you remember me asking you to hack into the city's surveillance cameras a while back?"

"Uh, yes…why?"

"I need you to get on your computer and start looking through those cameras. I'm looking for a magician, and she's looking for Touma. She's already shown that—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Siren, wait up! What the heck is going on? Magician? What magician? I—"

"Mikoro," Siren said firmly. "We don't have time for this. Look, there's somebody who's controlling a small army of these…_Golem_ things, and she's after Touma. I don't know why she's after him, but she is. She's already shown that she's willing to cripple and kill others to get to Touma, so we need to find her, _fast._"

"I—uh—alright, fine, but you owe me an explanation after this. What does she look like?

"I have no idea. Just look for somebody suspicious. Use the surveillance cameras to check _everything_. Check any place that would make a good hideout to start off."

"Siren, you need to give me more info than that, it's just not enough to go off of!"

"We don't have any more info! Look, time won't wait for us, and that woman won't either. She's after Touma, and at this rate, she'll get him. She's already made this mistake of ticking me off, so the first thing I'm going to do is deny her the prize she's trying to find; Touma. Call me if you find anything or anyone, and hurry; we don't have a lot of time. I'm going back to hunting for her."

"Um…ok. Alright, I can do that. Good luck Siren…don't get yourself killed."

Siren silently nodded at her words; a gesture she obviously couldn't see. He hung up, and tucked the phone back into its biomass cocoon, before putting it back into his chest, the tentacles closing around the cocoon. He quickly ran to the end of the rooftop, before jumping off the side, crashing into the street bellow. Several people saw him, but at this point, he didn't care. He had no doubt that the news of his presence in the city would spread fast; there were hundreds of people in the mall who saw him. There was no way this would stay quite.

He began sprinting around, looking for anything that would be a decent hideout. He made his way onto the streets, jumping over cars and trucks alike, frightening dozens of people every minute. Before long, his sensitive ears picked up on the sounds of fighting. He gritted his teeth as he realized that there must have been more Golems on the loose. Despite the fact that he wanted nothing more than to find the magician and turn her into his next meal, he turned from the street he was on, running towards the sounds of fighting.

As he got closer to the commotion, he ran to the sidewalk, jumping onto the wall of a business building. He began running along the wall, going higher as he neared the fight. As soon as he saw the Golems, he jumped, and allowed his body to begin changing. He hardened his biomass, increasing its weight and dived toward the ground at incredible speeds.

***Page Break***

Accelerator grunted as he sent another one of the stone giants flying. He was getting fed up with these things, and it seemed that there was no end to them. They may have been easy to kill, but whoever was controlling them seemed to have an endless supply. Almost everyone in the area had already fled, leaving him, the stone creatures, and a few other espers who were strong enough to fight them, or at least distract them as Accelerator destroyed them.

One of the stone giants threw a nearby car at him, but he blocked it with his Reflection ability. He turned to face the creature, but stopped as a bolt of pale-green energy hit it. He looked over to the esper who shot the creature, the esper nodding to him. The esper than began sprinting toward the fallen creature, intent on finishing it off. Accelerator turned and noticed that several of the stone giants had attempted to surround him. He smiled as he stomped on the ground, using his abilities to generate a shockwave that knocked the giants off their feet.

He prepared to finish them off, but before he could, he heard a loud crash above him. He looked up in time to see a figure jumping off the side of a building and dive to the ground, a strange red mist trailing behind his body.

The figure neared the ground at incredible speeds, and Accelerator was sure the guy was trying to commit suicide with that kind of fall. However, just as he neared the ground, the figure turned upright, landing in a kneeling position with his right hand planted on the ground. However, the landing generated a massive shockwave, much like Accelerator's attack. However, while Accelerator's attack had been controlled and suppressed, this shockwave sent _everything_ flying. Esper, cars, the stone giants, everything was flung away from the figure; Accelerator was the only one who wasn't affected by the newcomers' entrance.

Accelerator narrowed his eyes. At first, he assumed that this was the leader of the stone giants, but quickly threw the idea away. When the leader asked for Touma, the voice that was projected from the creatures was definitely female.

The figure slowly straightened out, his eyes scanning the scene. The pulled up hood cast a deep shadow over the figure's face, obscuring the upper portion of his face. Although, one could clearly see two odd blue and grey eyes peering out from the shadowed face.

"Does anyone know where their leader is? The sooner we take her out, the sooner these Golem things stop coming," shouted the hooded figure.

The esper in the area took a second to rise to their feet, dusting themselves off. Quickly, the shook their heads, before taking fighting positions as the creatures, or Golems, as the hooded figure called them, rose to their feet.

The Golem closest to the hooded figure took one look at him before the voice of the woman from before echoed from the Golem's throat. "_You_! You don't give up do you? What the hell makes you think you stand a chance against me? Do you not see the army I have at my disposal?"

Accelerator frowned. This woman was getting on his nerves, and apparently, the hooded figure thought so as well. He walked over to the Golem, and Accelerator's eyes widened as the figure's hands transformed into _claws._

_Wait! Is this the clawed esper?_

The clawed hand of the hooded figure gripped the head of the Golem. With a squeeze, he crushed the head, allowing the body to crumble to the ground as the creature fell apart. Several of the weaker espers took a step back, expressions of slight fear on their faces.

"Look, the sooner we clear this street of these things, the sooner we can find their leader. Hurry, and get killing!" With that, he jumped into the air, his hands transforming into what looked like giant spiked boxer's gloves. He then performed and elbow slam, his body plummeting from the high in the air and crushing another Golem with ease.

Accelerator wanted to question this clawed guy, but decided that the issue at hand had to be dealt with first. "Come on! Let's get this over with!"

His voice seemed to snap the other espers out of their daze, and the group went back to fighting. He turned around and faced off against a Golem that had crept up behind him. The massive creature swung an oversized fist at him, which he simply leaned away from. He touched the Golem's hand and, with the help of his abilities, sent it flying toward one of its comrades.

He looked over and noticed the hooded figure dodging and weaving as the majority of the Golems attacked him. Accelerator didn't know why the Golems seemed to be targeting the same enemy, but for reasons he didn't yet know, they were. He considered helping the hooded figure, but noticed that he was doing just fine on his own. The Golems seemed incapable of landing a solid blow on him, but in turn, he was crushing them under the oversized boxer glove things that his hands had become. Accelerator also took note of the fact that the hooded figure seemed far more flexible than any human he ever saw. The figure's arms and legs would often bend at wrong angles to land hits on Golem's from uncommon positions.

_No human should be able to move like that. What's with this guy? And the agility, this is something that's beyond the human body. Is he manipulating kinetic energy to allow his body to move like that? But that still doesn't explain why he can bend his limbs the wrong way…_

Accelerator decided that his questions could wait until the Golems were dealt with. He went back to destroying the creatures, the other espers doing so as well. Within the spam of a few minutes, the entire group had been wiped out, but a few of the weaker espers were lying on the ground, their strength spent. The most the other esper could do was distract the Golems while Accelerator and the boxer fist guy finished them off.

A single Golem remained on the ground, its body falling apart, but the creature was still alive, or as alive as a stone giant could get. Accelerator noticed the strange hooded esper walking toward the Golem. In one fluid movement, he grabbed the Golem by the throat, holding it up in the air.

Accelerator blinked in surprise. Given the giant's size and earthly composition, he deduced that it should be pretty heavy. There should be no way this esper could casually pick up the Golem without a second thought, unless he was using more abilities. Accelerator frowned. What with the amount of different abilities this esper seemed to have, he must have been of a decent level. The fact that Accelerator never heard or seen this guy made him wonder if this guy had been in hiding. If so, what was he hiding from?

_If he's a rogue, this might become an issue._

Accelerator began walking towards the hooded esper as he flipped the Golem over his head, smashing its head into the street. As Accelerator got closer, the hooded esper turned to him, focusing those odd blue and grey eyes on him. Again, Accelerator wondered what kind of abilities this guy had, especially if they were influencing his appearance. Nobody he knew had grey sclera and irises that glowed. He knew there were conditions that resulted with people having grey _spots_ on their sclera, but not an entirely grey sclera without any white areas at all.

"Hey, I have a few questions for you buddy, and I suggest you answer them because right now, I 'aint in the mood to deal with any more shit. Best case scenario, you answer a couple questions, I leave, we all walk away happy. Sound good?"

The esper said nothing and merely looked towards the sky. "No."

Accelerator narrowed his eyes. "Look, _friend_, I wasn't asking. I was telling you that you're _going_ to answer a few questions. I told you, I 'aint in the mood to deal with any more of this _shit_, so let's just do this nice and easy. I don't feel like wasting too much time here; I've already spent enough," he said in a threatening tone.

The hooded esper turned his entire body to face him. "What part of 'no' was so difficult to understand? That bullet to the head must have left you with some hearing impairments."

Accelerator blinked. "How the hell do you know about that?" he snarled.

The hooded esper cocked his head. "What? Surprised? Please, I know a lot more than you think. By the way, a word of advice; next time you participate in an experiment that has you murder a couple thousand little clones, tell the people involved to better guard themselves. Finding them wasn't too hard."

Accelerator grabbed the figure by the throat with his left hand; his right was still supporting himself through the use of his cane. This guy knew _way _too much to just be an esper with unusual powers. "Who are you? What else do you know?!"

Several of the other esper were beginning to shout at him, telling him to put the hooded esper down. "Shut up!" he screamed at them, causing them to back off. He turned back toward the hooded esper he held. "I'll ask you again; who are you? If you know so much about me, then you should know that I could kill you in an instant."

"If you knew anything about me, you'd probably rethink that statement. Besides, you were defeated by a Level 0, weren't you? One would think that would teach you to not underestimate people; kind of like what you're doing now. Do you really think you can kill me as easily as you could a clone of that weak little electric esper? Give me a break; _anyone_ can kill a defenseless girl."

Accelerator gritted his teeth. "Who the fuck sent you? Answer me!"

"Who sent me? I guess you could say it was the people who created me. Although, it doesn't matter; you are of no concern or threat to me, there's no reason to come after you."

A wild grin spread across Accelerator's face. "Oh, I'm of no threat to you?! You know, that's a pretty bold statement! I told you I could kill you in an instant, and the only reason you're still alive is because I'm trying to figure out who sent a creep like you here, but hey, if you're not going to comply, I could _end_ you here and now!"

"As much as I'd like to fight somebody who can actually survive the first punch, I have other things to do," the hooded esper said his voice rising. "So I'm going to say this once; _fuck off._"

Accelerator felt something snap inside of him. Without thinking, he squeezed with all his strength, attempting to crush the hooded figure's throat. He allowed his cane to slip from his right hand, and once it was free, he placed it on the hooded esper's stomach. Instead of trying to reverse the esper's blood flow, he plunged his hand into the esper's stomach, and using his abilities, threw his organs into turmoil, which resulted in blood and strange black mass to explode from the esper.

Accelerator panted slightly, holding the esper still. He could hear one of the other esper vomiting behind him, but he didn't care. "I warned you," he whispered, a smile creeping onto his face.

"So did I."

Accelerator's eyes widened as he felt a cold hand grip his neck with astounding force.

***Page Break***

"Touma…"

Touma froze as he heard Mikoto's voice. She sounded very unhappy.

The last of the Golems in the area had been defeated and apparently, Mikoto decided that now was the time to scold him for something that he probably didn't know about to begin with.

"Where's Siren?"

Touma felt his heart rate increase. "W—what? I—I—I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Listen, I already know. Kuroko said she heard YOU say his name, and I can tell by your reaction that you know him. So I'll ask again; where is he?"

"Biri-Biri, I think you're making a mistak—"

"Touma, I'm not trying to be his enemy. I want to talk to him," Mikoto interrupted.

Touma glanced around, desperately looking for something to distract Mikoto with. However, he found nothing of the sort, and was faintly aware of the sound of lightning cracking as Mikoto's patience began wearing thin. He gulped as he looked back to her.

"I—alright, alright, I'll tell you this; I know who he is, but I have no idea where he is right now. More than likely, he's fighting Golems right now, or maybe even fighting their leader."

Mikoto frowned. "Do you know where he'll go afterwards?"

Touma nodded. He knew that Siren didn't want to work with Mikoto, but he thought that she deserved a chance.

"Good. After this, take me to him," Mikoto said, crossing her arms. "But right now, we've gotta find the one leading these things."

Touma nodded once more. "Any ideas?"

Mikoto frowned and brought a hand up to her chin. Shortly afterward, her face brightened and she snapped her fingers. "I got it! We'll ask Mikoro to look into the city's surveillance cameras and locate the leader like that!"

Before Touma could say anything, Mikoto pulled out her phone, franticly looking through its features before coming to the contacts list. She quickly found Mikoro's number and tapped the screen. She brought the phone up to her ears, silently praying for Mikoro to pick up.

After a few seconds, Touma heard a faint "hello" on the other end of the line. Immediately, Mikoto's face brightened up and a smile touched her lips. "Mikoro? Hey, it's me, Mikoto. I have a favor to ask…"

***Page Break***

A certain blond magician sat in her stone throne as she looked through the eyes of her many, many minions. She gritted her teeth as she realized that the last of the Golems close to Touma had been defeated, by him _and _by the Railgun herself.

She flexed her fingers as a new idea came to mind.

_I was hoping to avoid something like that, but it might be the only path to victory here. If this last wave of Golems is defeated, well then, I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS!_

***Page Break***

Accelerator tried to pry the cold fingers from the choker around his neck, but to no avail. He relinquished his grip on the esper's throat, attempting to use both hands to try and break the esper's grip. Again, the cold hand didn't budge. He didn't dare try to use any abilities, because if he did, the choker might be destroyed by this esper. That would spell game over for him.

He looked down at the esper's torso, expecting to see some kind of barrier around it, or maybe something that could have cast an illusion of some sort. Instead, he found exactly what he would find on a corpse; a middle section that looked as though it had been mauled by a hippopotamus. His eyes widened. How could somebody have survived that?!

"I warned you, didn't I?"

He looked back toward the face of the esper. He was met with the cold glare of a killer, not an ounce of sympathy was present in the esper's eyes. "If you only knew…If you only knew how many times I've dealt with injuries _far _more severe than this. If you knew, you would have taken my earlier advice and gone home." He shook his head. "It's pathetic really; YOU of all people should understand the consequences of underestimating somebody."

Accelerator attempted to cough as the esper's grip tightened. He tried kicking the esper, but nothing came of it. Despite the fact that he was able to land a few solid kicks on him, the esper showed no signs of pain or agony. In fact, the surrounding material that was ripped from the esper began _climbing _back towards him. It began reattaching itself, and his body began healing. Within a few seconds, he looked good as new.

Accelerator's kicks became more frantic as his vision began fading, the lack of oxygen becoming more of an issue. The cold glare he was receiving from the esper didn't change, and Accelerator was certain that this esper planned on killing him.

_If I don't use my abilities, he'll kill me. If I do, there's a chance I might survive…_

Accelerator prepared to begin using his esper powers, despite the risk. But just like that, he felt the grip loosen, and he was suddenly thrown toward a car. He hit the vehicle with a pained grunt, and fell to the street beside it. He quickly began picking himself off the ground, but was stopped as he felt a foot slam onto his chest. He grunted as the air was knocked out of him, but stayed conscious.

The esper loomed over him, the sun obscuring any details, leaving only a silhouette. The only thing he could clearly make out was the strange pair of glowing eyes that stared down at him.

"I told you before; I don't need to kill you. You are of no threat or concern to me. However, if this happens again, you can expect a slow, agonizing death. If I consumed you, it would practically _fuel _my evolution. Honestly, you're of more use as a part of me, rather than as a living human. Ponder this day well, Accelerator. If you have another like it, it _will _be your last."

Accelerator grunted. How did this guy get past his Reflection?! Was he using the same technique as Kihara?! Did this guy know enough about him to outsmart his Reflection?! And consuming?! What the fuck did he mean by consuming?!

"By the way, Last Order was looking for you. She's back at that mall that you were at not too long ago."

Accelerator felt anger rising within him. "You bastard! If you did anything to her I'll—"

"Calm down. I didn't harm her. If it's of any consolation, I tried to help her find you. I even defended her, along with half the mall, from some of the Golems. Listen to me, right now, we're not enemies. You're just somebody who made the stupid mistake of attacking me. I know where you're coming from; I'd probably tried to kill somebody if they started talking about _my_ past when it's supposed to be classified. Anyway, I suggest you clean yourself off before she gets back to your place. The kid might panic if she sees you covered in dirt and blood from being thrown around."

Then, he began walking away as if nothing of interest happened. Accelerator stared at his back, noticing the strange red, glowing, wing-like symbol on his back. It looked like this guy was similar to him in more than one way. If the hooded esper's past was classified, that meant this guy might have been part of some elaborate experiment to create a powerful esper, just like what he had gone through.

Accelerator slowly began pushing himself off the ground, coughing lightly as he did so. "Hey," he called out. The esper stopped moving. "You got a name?"

The esper turned his slightly, his face still mostly obscured by the hood. "Why does it matter?"

Accelerator grinned. "Few people are worth remembering. One of the exceptions would be people who are strong. So, I'm asking you; you got a name?"

The esper said nothing for a few seconds, then, he spoke. "It _doesn't_ matter. If you meet me again, whether as an ally or as an enemy, I'll tell you then. Oh, by the way, if you come to me as an enemy, my name will probably be the last thing you here. Reflection won't save you; not from me."

"Tch! Fine then! I'll just call you Esper!"

This brought out a short chuckle from Esper. "What makes you think I'm an esper?"

Before Accelerator could respond, Esper jumped to incredible heights, and began running up the vertical wall of a building.

"Still callin' you Esper," Accelerator mumbled, but then the importance of Esper's last question hit him like a truck.

"WAIT, WHAT?!"

***Page Break***

Siren was not very happy at the moment. Sure, it was an interesting experience; talking and fighting Accelerator, but he had wasted a lot of time there. Even so, it would have taken far longer if he hadn't known how to overcome Accelerator's ability. Now more than ever, he was glad that he had taken the time to consume some esper specialists and learn about their abilities. If anything, Siren was a scientist at heart, and with the amount of information he had gathered on espers in general, coupled with his own understanding, he figured out how to beat Accelerator's Reflection ability.

However, despite this victory, he clenched his fists in frustration. He was still infuriated with the woman controlling the Golems and he was still dead set on killing her. The problem was, he had no idea where to look. He wasn't used to fighting creatures that couldn't be consumed for information, so this situation was something new to him. Luckily, he had Mikoro on the surveillance cameras looking around, but that still left a pretty big job ahead of them.

As he reached the top of the skyscraper he had been running along, he flipped over the edge, landing on the roof with a thump. He looked around, as had become his habit, making sure that there were no unwanted onlookers. This may not have been an area swarming with Infected and Blackwatch, but he had never bothered breaking his habits of looking for danger even in the safest of places. Satisfied that he was alone, he began pacing around the rooftop, wondering where someone with an army on the surface would hide. He began thinking about the districts that he knew of within the city, the memories of hundreds of back alley thugs and scientists alike beginning feed ideas to him.

This went on for a few minutes before he felt a familiar vibration in his chest. With speed that would have made a martial arts master jealous, he pulled his phone from its biomass cocoon, checked the caller ID, and brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Siren, listen! I think I found out where the leader is hiding! I found a subway station with an odd hole in the ground, which is being guarded by a few Golems!"

By the time Mikoro began explaining the location of the subway station entrance closest to the hole, Siren had already jumped over the side of the roof and was halfway down to the ground.

***Page Break***

Mikoto gulped before speaking. "So, Siren is going to show up here any minute?"

Touma shrugged. "Hey, you were the one talking to Mikoro, not me. What did Mikoro say?"

"That she'll call Siren and tell him to come here. She also said to wait for him here…"

"So that's what's going to happen. Don't be nervous, he won't attack you out of the blue if he just sees you standing here," said Touma.

Mikoto felt a vein pop in her forehead. "Is that so? You think I'm afraid of him? Ha! No way am I afraid of that guy!"

Touma rolled his eyes. "Is that why you're nervous about him showing up?"

Mikoto crossed her arms. "No, I just don't want this meeting to go like the last one between us."

"So, you mean you don't want him to toy around with you and then catch your railgun again?"

Mikoto delivered a swift kick to Touma's knee, causing him to yelp in pain. "I told you, I'm not afraid of him. I just don't want to waste time fighting him."

Touma hissed as he rubbed his injured knee. "Was there a reason to kick me?" he asked innocently.

Before Mikoto could reply, she saw Touma look up at something behind her with a look of surprise on his face. She quickly turned around and saw what he was looking at. In the sky, a figure was gliding hundreds of feet above the ground, a red mist trailing behind his body.

"Whoa," Mikoto heard Touma whisper. "He told me that he could glide around like that, but this is the first time I'm seeing it…man, and to think that he carried Mikoro around like that…"

Mikoto was slightly annoyed at that last statement. She was very protective of Mikoro, seeing as the clone was a gentle person and a sister-like character to Mikoto. Earlier on, Touma had let slip that Siren actually _knew_ Mikoro and that she was even _helping _him. It caused Mikoto to frown in annoyance when she thought about the fact that Mikoro had kept something like this hidden from her.

Mikoto was pulled from her thoughts as she noticed Siren rapidly descending. His arms, which were spread out only moments ago, were now stretched out behind him as he allowed his body to drop like a stone toward the ground. As soon as he landed, dust and debris were sent in every direction, forcing Mikoto and Touma to shield their eyes.

The moment he looked up, Mikoto noticed the change in his eyes. The once grey irises were now a brilliant ice-blue and seemingly glowing. The sclera had lost its white color; instead, it was now a shade of grey that was similar to the original color of Siren's irises. She considered asking him what had happened to his eyes, but stopped when she noticed was that those eyes were glaring at her.

"What are YOU doing here?" he snapped.

Before Mikoto could reply, Touma spoke up. "Siren, listen, she's not here to fight you. She's been fighting the Golems to help combat the threat. She's not here to fight us, she's here to fight _alongside _us."

Siren glared at the black-haired teen, the ice cold glare only intensifying. Before the two could start an argument, Mikoto stepped forward. "I know that our initial encounter was…violent, but I promise you; I'm not here to fight against you. Right now, our main concern should be to take out these Golems and their leader, _then_ I can talk to you."

Siren frowned at her. "There's nothing to talk about. Once we finish off their leader, we're done. You go your way, I'll go mine."

Mikoto shook her head. "That's not happening. I'm not going to stand by when there are threats that could destroy the world looming on the horizon. I don't care if you want my help or not, you're getting it."

Siren crossed his arms. "I don't need you, nor do I want you. There are enough people involved as it is, and I don't want this group to grow anymore than it already has. Just forge—"

"I can't! I can't forget! I've seen experiments that should never have been performed, I've seen people try to play god with the lives of others; using them as test subjects, creating clones only so that they can die a horrible death! I know you know Mikoro. Think about it; there were 20,000 Misaka clones, many of which were killed just so…so Accelerator could become stronger! You said you've seen things to which that experiment can't even compare to! If there are still people out there who play god like that, I can't stand by and let them do so."

She bowed her head slightly, her bangs covering her eyes. "If I can help it, people like that will be too afraid to ever try something so horrible again. _That's _why I want to help you. To stop a threat and to take down the people who perform such horrible experiments. We're all human; nobody has the right to treat anybody else like nothing more than a test subject to be studied and injected with drugs…But if what you say is true, there might not be a world left for humanity to exist upon. You said that there were weapons that threaten to destroy the world. I'm going to help you destroy them, whether you like it or not."

As she finished her speech, she was only met with silence. She looked up to see Siren's unchanged expression. A few seconds after their eyes met, he sighed and looked toward the entrance to the subway. "Before anything else, we have to take care of the situation at hand. After that, we can talk."

Mikoto felt a triumphant smile creep on to her face. Siren seemed to notice this as well because he directed a glare toward her. "I said we could _talk_. That doesn't imply that you'll be tagging along."

Mikoto let out a short giggle. "Yeah, whatever," she said with a smile. Siren rolled his eyes before he looked down toward the entrance to the subway. "So, let's get this over with."

With those words, the trio began their descent into the subway, unaware of the challenges yet to come.

***Page Break***

Mikoro gulped as she watched her friends descending into the empty subway. The surveillance camera she had hacked provided a good view, and there were several other screens displayed on her monitor that showed different views of the subway. She was happy that Siren seemed to be getting along with Mikoto…to an extent, but she was still worried about what the trio might face.

She bit her lower lip as she watched Siren. Not too long ago, she saw his face through one of the cameras. She immediately noticed the change in his eyes and a feeling of uncertainty had quickly built up within her. She didn't know what it meant, but she prayed that it wasn't something bad. She might not have known Siren that long, but she still cared for him.

Her fists clenched as she saw her friends approach the hole the probably led to the hideout of the leader of the Golems. The two Golems that stood by the hole began walking forward as the trio neared them. Both groups looked prepared to fight, but nobody more so than Siren. If Mikoro was honest with herself, she'd say that Siren looked like he was about to kill somebody. Despite knowing that Siren wouldn't attack her, she found herself a little intimidated by his current behavior. He looked like he was absolutely serious about this, as though he didn't plan on showing mercy to anyone or anything.

She gulped once more. Things were about to get complicated.

***Page Break***

Touma flinched as one of the Golems was relentlessly crushed by Siren's Hammerfists. He didn't have time to attack the second one because Mikoto had already taken care of it. She was now looking toward Siren with a curious expression on her face. "What are those?" she asked, gesturing toward his Hammerfists.

"Hammerfists," replied Siren.

Mikoto cocked her head in confusion. "Hammer…fists?"

"Yes," Siren replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Touma sighed as Mikoto nodded. If she wanted to get on Siren's good side, she was doing it wrong. He didn't have time to say anything because the group was already approaching the hole that the Golems were guarding. The hole was a couple of meters in diameter, and they couldn't see the bottom.

"So…any idea how we get down?" Touma inquired.

"I'll jump. Once I know what's down there, I'll come back up here for you two."

"Wait, you're going to _jump_?" Mikoto asked in disbelief. "How? We don't know how deep it is! You could end up dying!"

Siren shook his head. "I don't have bones or anything of the sort. A long fall won't kill or harm me in any way. I've jumped off skyscrapers back in New York; this is nothing."

Touma chuckled at Mikoto's baffled expression. But before either he or Mikoto could object, Siren made his way toward the very edge of the hole. "If it's not safe, don't come down. I'll come and get you once I've made sure the coast is clear."

Mikoto frowned. "We're not useless; we _can_ fight, you know."

Siren rolled his eyes. "I know, but you can't survive a fall this long. If there are enemies down there, I'm going to kill them, not crawl up these walls to try and get you out while they attack me. Look, I'll come get you when the coast is clear. Just wait here."

With that, Siren jumped into the hole, his form disappearing into the darkness.

***Page Break***

After a few seconds of plummeting, Siren landed with a loud thump. It was pitch black down in the hole, even by his standards. However, before he could activate a visual power to help improve his vision, the room flooded with orange light, revealing what looked like a simple cave. He blinked in surprise at the change, but immediately, his eyes widened at what he saw.

Surrounding him were more several dozen Golems, each in a combat position. There had to be close to a hundred of them, and each looked like it was making some sort of last stand. There was a hole in the wall on the far end of the room, but between that hole and him, were close to a hundred Golems.

Looking around, he noticed torches on the walls that were lit. How they were lit, he had no idea. The only thing he was thinking about now was the most efficient way to rip these pushovers apart.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here."

Siren's head snapped toward the sound of somebody speaking. There, standing between several Golems, was a young woman. She had tan skin and golden hair, along with a pair of eyes that matched her hair in terms of color. A pair of red glasses rested on her face, along with a sadistic smile. She had black pants and a yellow shirt, covered by a brown leather jacket. She looked just like any ordinary person, minus the sadistic smile of course. She put her hands on her hips as she looked him up and down.

"So then, the great hero comes to face off against me, how cute. You're trying to save a single boy from the clutches of a power hungry woman, and you'll jump into the belly of the beast itself to fight for him."

Siren narrowed his eyes. "I think you're misunderstanding the situation. I'm here to kill you. Why? For personal fulfillment."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What could you possibly gain from killing little 'ol me?"

"You remind me of somebody; somebody that I _despise._ Now I'm here, and you're the enemy that I have been hunting down. It's time to die and trust me; it's going to be slow and painful."

This time, the woman frowned. "You know, I'm starting to think that you're not the hero I thought you were."

Siren chuckled. "No, I'm not. I'm just a science experiment gone wrong. I'm just a monster that was released into this world. You just happen to have picked the wrong person to try and hunt down."

The woman smirked. "I'm not just trying to hunt him down, I _will _hunt him down. The moment I find him, I'll take him with me. That power in his right hand is of far greater use to me than to him. Oh, I know that it cancels out magic and other powers, so I can't transfer his power into my body. But, I _can _make a weapon that has the power of Kamijou Touma's right hand in it!"

Siren shook his head. "Is that what this is about? Power? Please, somebody like you is meant to stay weak."

"I'm meant to stay weak? What makes you say that?"

"If you were meant to become strong, you wouldn't have met me. If you were meant to become strong, you would have died later on in life, not so early, and especially not by _my _hands."

The woman let out a chuckle. "What makes you think I'm going to die here? You think you can kill me?"

Siren craned his neck. "I _know _I can." He spread his arms out, tentacles writhing across his body.

"I am a creature far beyond your comprehension. I am a creature that won't age, that won't _die. _I am the embodiment of what all of humanity dreads; the _apocalypse._ If the world comes to an end, it will be because of BLACKLIGHT and REDLIGHT. If this world comes to an end because of BLACKLIGHT and REDLIGHT, it won't be me specifically that destroys this world, but it will be someone who is very similar to me. I can guarantee that. Essentially, I am a walking nightmare; one that is far worse than anything a horror film can portray."

The woman stared at him in shock as his body changed and writhed before her. The Golems, lacking any emotion, seemed to stand still, despite the creature before them. If they were aware of what they faced, they might not have been so willing to fight.

"You want power? Do you even know what that is? What you have is not _power_. It's only minor strength. What _I _have is the virus. What I _am _is BLACKLIGHT. If you knew what that meant, you'd know _why _I can say that I have power. Creating a few weak little puppets to fight for you is not power. Being able to bring an entire _race _to its knees is power. All I have to do is _infect_. If I wanted to, I could reduce humanity to nothing more than mindless animals. All I have to do is spread the virus. If you have anything else up your sleeves, now is the time to show it because after this lot of puppets is gone, _you're next._"

The woman stared at him in confusion. "What is wrong with you? Virus? What virus? What the heck are you talking about, _boy_?"

Siren shook his head. "It doesn't matter; you won't live long enough to understand."

Despite his attitude, he wasn't acting cocky just because. He was doing it to provoke the woman into joining the fight. If she did, he could single her out and kill her quickly, rendering the mindless Golems harmless. Besides, if he couldn't get to her, he could simply wipe out everything with a single, powerful attack.

_Alright, I've consumed enough people as of late to pull off a few Devastator Attacks. If the first one, by some miracle, doesn't wipe out everything here, I can still perform a few more._

The woman, much to his annoyance, began laughing. "You know what, I call your bluff! I bet you're trembling in your little shoes even now! How about this; if you kill every Golem here, I'll show you my trump card! Although, I doubt you'll get past every Golem in here."

Siren blinked. Trump card? Oh great, _this _was going to get annoying. Before he could do anything, the woman smiled and waved at him, before disappearing into the hole in the wall. As soon as she disappeared into the darkness, the hole seemed to close as stones on the ground began forming a wall in front of the hole.

He quickly memorized the location of the hole and began focusing on the approaching Golems. The creatures were slow and heavy, so he a single attack that focused on one enemy was useless. Instead, he decided that an attack with an area of effect would be the most efficient choice. So, he waited for all the Golems to get close enough.

He waited.

And waited.

…

_Now._

As soon as the thought entered his mind, his body began twitching and thrashing violently as tentacles began writhing around him at incredible speeds. He felt the pent up rage he felt for the woman building up inside him as the tentacles writhed around him. Within seconds, he knew the attack was ready. He spread his arms out to either side of him, his body bent over slightly. The moment he took this stance, _everything_ turned to chaos.

The noise was deafening.

***Page Break***

Mikoto was pulled from her thoughts as the ground beneath her feet began shaking and the sound of rock being ripped apart filled her ears. She dropped to the ground, thinking that this was an earthquake.

The shaking continued for a second or two before suddenly…

Nothing.

She blinked in surprise, looking over to Touma, who had also dropped to the floor. She asked the question that was on both their minds.

"What the heck was that?"

***Page Break***

Siren stood dead still with his arms still outstretched. Hundreds upon hundreds of tentacles, both small and large, were extending from his body in almost every direction. Not all of the tentacles had torn through the Golems, but even so, every Golem in the room was little more than a pile of rocks now, some still standing. The entire roomed was lined in a web of black tentacles. Spikes that varied in size protruded from each tentacle in various places, creating a deadly net of viral matter.

Parts of the walls had been shredded by the tentacles that had impaled themselves in them. Other tentacles were stuck to the floor, ceiling, and whatever else that got in their path.

Siren heard a noise like stone falling apart coming from the far side of the room. He looked over, noticing that the makeshift stone door was falling apart, exposing the hole in the wall once more. From that hole emerged the woman from before. She walked out, yawning as she did so.

"What's all this commotion? You dead alrea—"

Her jaw dropped at what she saw. She looked around, trying to contemplate what had happened. She yelped and jumped back as each tentacle in the room began moving around, before all of them began slowly retracting into Siren's body. The tentacles slowly dislodged themselves from the walls, ceiling, and floor, all while slowly dragging through the crumbling bodies of the Golems. Had the Golems been real people, the room would have been painted with blood and organs by now. The tentacles eventually all completely retracted into Siren's body, leaving the woman to stare at the carnage left behind by the viral creature that stood before her.

Siren slowly turned towards her, his face an emotionless mask. Without hesitation, he began walking towards her at a slow pace. She gulped and took a step back, before her expression hardened.

"I don't care what you did, you haven't won this. If you can cause this much destruction, it's no secret; I can't beat you when in this form."

Siren blinked. This form?

"However," the woman began. "I can beat you in my _other_ form. My dear," she gestured toward her own body. "You have served me well. But, your body is no longer of use to me. You may return to your own life. I hope it's a miserable and painful experience."

With that, the woman collapsed and black energy began seeping from her body, directly into the ground itself. Right before Siren's eyes, the girl seemed to age _backwards_. Her body shrunk slightly, and her hair shortened, but only a little. Within a few seconds, the woman was replaced by a teenage girl who looked exhausted to the point where one could mistake her for dead. Her breathing was shallow, and her face wore a pained expression.

Siren didn't have time to react before the ground began shaking; a _lot_. Before thinking, he sprang forward, grabbing the girl. He rushed to the edge of the room, planting both feet on the wall and running up the wall of the hole through which he jumped down. He sprinted up the side, the walls and the ground itself seemingly shaking harder and harder.

Along the way up, he slung the girl over his shoulder, allowing tentacles to wrap around her waist, anchoring her to him. He didn't know who she was exactly, but it seemed as though she was being controlled. If need be, he could consume her later on for more information.

Eventually, he made it to the top of the hole and vaulted over. He was greeted with the sight of a very confused Touma and a very annoyed Mikoto.

"Siren, wh—AAH!"

Mikoto's sentence was cut short as Siren grabbed both her and Touma and began sprinting towards the stairway that led to the surface.

"Siren! Wh—"

"Shut up," he snapped at her. "Right now, we're getting out of the subway. After that, you can ask all the questions you want."

Mikoto, despite Siren's words, continued shouting at him, which he ignored with a roll of his eyes. Eventually, the girl figured that this was getting nowhere and opted to simply glare at him while he sprinted. Before long, the trio, plus the blond passenger, made it out of the subway. As soon as they were out, Siren skidded to a halt, setting Touma and Mikoto on their feet.

He then turned around and set the blond girl on the ground. Of course, 'setting somebody on the ground' equated to tossing them with minimal force in Siren's book. The moment he did so, Mikoto glared at him.

"Siren! Don't do that! You could hurt her…um, who is this?"

Siren shrugged. "She seems like she was being controlled by the one who is controlling these Golems."

While Siren explained this to Mikoto, he noticed that Touma was staring at the blond girl in surprise. "Wait, I've seen her before! I ran into her not too long ago!"

Siren turned to Touma. "Do you know her on a personal level?"

Touma shook his head as he continued to stare at the blond in worry. Suddenly, the ground lurched forward as if pushed by an unseen force. The movement threw the trio off balance and left them lying on the ground. Siren was the first to get up, springing to his feet, his hands quickly transforming into Claws.

"Get ready! Something's coming!" he shouted over his shoulder toward Mikoto and Touma. As if on cue, the earth began shaking more violently than ever. The ground around the entrance to the subway station began cracking before it completely split apart, creating a massive crater in the streets. The ground continued breaking apart as a massive, grey hand began tearing through the crater. The hand rose high into the air before slamming down on the ground, hauling the giant out from beneath the earth.

A rounded head poked over the edge of the crater. This head was easily the size of a car, with massive, window-size eyes peering at the group. The 'eyes' looked like giant, empty sockets, but they emitted a brilliant gold light.

Soon, the entire giant had hauled itself onto the surface, the eyes still peering at the group. The giant must have been as tall as almost a dozen Hunters if they were stacked on top of each other. If one were to stack school buses in a vertical position to try and measure the creature, they'd need several to just reach the head.

The creature looked to be composed entirely of grey stone, with cracks running along its body and plants growing on various locations such as the elbows and shoulders. The head looked like a human head that had been flattened out a little, kind of like half a sphere. To Siren, it looked like a bigger, better version of the previous Golems.

A deep laugh escaped the creature's mouth, but this time, it wasn't a projection. Whoever was laughing must have been _inside _that thing. The laughter sounded vaguely feminine, and Siren deduced that whoever was controlling this thing was indeed female.

**"What were you saying earlier, **_**boy?**_** Something about me not having power? Well look at me now. If there's one thing I have, it's POWER!"**

The creature swung a massive fist toward them. Before Siren could react, Touma jumped forward, extending his right hand. The moment the massive fist came in contact with his hand, the creature began falling apart, crumbling at their feet in a pile of massive stones. Siren narrowed his eyes.

_She came here looking for Touma. She wanted his Imagine Breaker. There's no way she's not prepared to actually fight his Imagine Breaker. She must have a backup plan…_

Sure enough, the stones began levitating in the air, seemingly pulling themselves back together. Or rather, _something_ must have been pulling them back together. Within a few seconds, the giant stood before them again, laughing hysterically.

**"You think I wouldn't be prepared to fight the Imagine Breaker? Please, I came here for it didn't I? I know how to fight it! No matter how many times you destroy this body, I can always pull myself back together. Face it kids, YOU'RE FINISHED!"**

With that, the creature swung a fist at them again.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Siren vs. Accelerator: OK, this might confuse some people who haven't played the Prototype series. First off, like I mentioned many times in this fic, Siren lacks bones and organs. Thus, Accelerator's ability to kill people by reversing their blood flow or destroying their internal organs is useless against Siren. Now, you may be thinking, if Siren has no heart or organs, why does he have blood? That's a good question. The reason why the Prototype has blood was never officially explained in the series (or maybe it was and I somehow missed it), but the way I see it, the body of a Prototype acts like a sponge when it comes to holding blood. When Siren (Or Alex) consumed somebody, I thought that their body would hold the blood like a sponge would hold water. Anyway, back to the topic of Siren vs. Accelerator. In my opinion, Accelerator's abilities are hard to explain, but they can be outsmarted. If you want to watch it, episode 19 of A Certain Magical Index II gives a great explanation of how Kihara was able to fool Accelerator's Reflection. Siren uses the same tactic as Kihara (basically, he stops short of an attack and lets Accelerator's Reflection do the work for him, which I know is vague, but like I said, the episode explains it slightly better, even though I thought it was still vague). As far as I can see, there won't be an actual Siren vs. Accelerator battle in this fic (don't worry, there are PLENTY of far more powerful enemies that Siren will face in this fic), so I won't bother explaining what a detailed battle between the two would be like. Anyway, I didn't have Accelerator use his abilities here because for one, Siren had his hand on Accelerator's choker thing. If that broke, Accelerator is screwed. Also, I wanted to show that neither of these two are particularly friendly to strangers, so logically, they wouldn't be very friendly to each other. **

**The Giant Golem Thing: No, this is not the Goliath from before. **

**The Devastator: In the Prototype series, the player's most powerful attacks are the Devastators. Basically, after accumulating enough mass, the player can release a 'devastating' (haha) attack, and then there's no more anything. Seriously, if anything is within range of the Devastator attacks, it's annihilated, but this depends on the Devastator being used. In [Prototype] the Groundspike Devastator (I don't know it's official name) was better against tanks than the Tentacle Barrage Devastator (that's the one Siren used in this chapter). Finally, the Critical Pain Devastator (the one where Alex, the main character of [Prototype], shoots out extremely fast tentacles toward a single target) was a Devastator that was great for ripping apart a single, powerful, target.**

**Siren's Reaction To Mikoto: Remember, he doesn't hate her or consider her his enemy. She's basically an annoying esper to him, but he's willing to listen to her. **

**Can Siren Infect People And Mutate Them Into Monsters?: Short answer; yes. Long answer; he can do so because he has consumed to many Infected that their DNA has allowed him to spread the infection (and yes, he can control whether or not they become Evolved or mindless Infected, hey, you never know, that ability might be exploited in this fic ;). Oh, and no, you're not going to see Siren become a carbon copy of Prototype 2's Alex Mercer. So that means, no crazy, I'm going to take over the world schemes from Siren).**

**Siren Mercer—A Scientist At Heart: Why is Siren a scientist you ask? Well, don't worry; it will be explained in later chapters.**

.


	11. Chapter 11

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN [PROTOTYPE], PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!

**MILDLY IMPORTANT NOTICE: I **_**might **_**write the first chapter(s) of other crossovers I'm thinking about doing to see if people will enjoy it. That DOES NOT mean I am abandoning this fic (if I start another crossover, it will be after I finish this one). I was thinking of writing the first chapter of another one though, just to see how it goes. If I do, it might mean a delay on this fic, but not by too much (hopefully). Like I said, this is only an idea, and might not happen at all. If you're curious as to what I have in mind, feel free to ask. I'll respond via PM.**

**Not much else to say this time so…hello and enjoy :D**

**Chapter 11**

**The Bigger They Are…**

Mikoro stared at her screen with wide eyes. The stone abomination that had risen from the ground had already proven itself to be a powerful creature. As soon as its fist connected with the ground, it produced a massive shockwave that sent all her friends flying.

Siren had explained to her earlier that he was far more durable than any human, but she knew that Mikoto and Touma were not like him. Sweat poured down her face as she watched Touma and Mikoto haul themselves to their feet with wide eyes.

She spared a glance at Siren, who had quickly jumped to his feet and was staring at the giant before him. Mikoto swallowed the lump in her throat. She prayed that her friends would be alright.

***Page Break***

Siren's mind raced as he stared at the being before him. Given its massive size, he knew that this would NOT go unnoticed. Any minute now, the authorities would show up to deal with the threat…or die trying.

**"Hey, boy, there's a lesson to be learned here. I'd take the time to explain it to you, but there's no point; you won't live long enough to apply the lesson."**

The creature extended a stone hand toward Siren. Before he could react, two spikes made entirely of stone fired from the creature's middle and index finger. The minor moment of surprise was what prevented him from moving out of the way in time, and each spike imbedded itself in his knees. He grunted as he began collapsing, although he managed to catch himself by planting his hands on the ground.

Just as he looked up, he saw the giant's foot rapidly approaching him. His eyes widened, and the creature's foot made contact.

***Page Break***

"Siren!"

Touma watched as the stone giant kicked the silver-haired teen while he was down. The impact sent Siren rocketing backwards like a bullet. He hit the ground once, but bounced and kept going. He flew into a small building with enough force to cause it to collapse and Touma watched as the entire building came crashing down.

**"Heh, such a pity. He would have made a good host. He seemed to have a level of power, too. Too bad that was nothing compared to what I wield. Oh well, I can always find another suitable host."**

Touma gritted his teeth as the stone giant began laughing once more. However, the laughter became a yelp of surprise as a bolt of electricity struck it in the back of the head.

Both the giant and Touma looked over to Mikoto, who had an angry expression on her face. "I hope you haven't forgotten about us. Siren's not the only powerful fighter here!"

The giant's shoulders shook as it laughed. **"Oh? It doesn't matter how powerful you **_**think**_** you are. It's about how powerful I **_**know **_**I am."**

Mikoto grinned. "That's some pretty faulty logic, you know? How can you be so sure that you're the superior fighter here?"

**"Unlike you, I've lived a long life. I know the limits of my own strength, and I've learned quite a few things in my life. Oddly enough, I never found anything about tentacle esper, but oh well. That guy's gone now."**

"Oh he's not dead," Mikoto said. "I've seen a little of what he can do. Trust me, if he can catch my railgun, he can survive this."

**"Enough! I have better things to do, so let's get this over with!"**

Just like that, the giant's mood changed. One second, she's holding a conversation, the next; she's charging in. Mikoto sent yet another bolt of lightning at the giant's foot, causing the beast to stumble once more before it began rebuilding its leg.

The giant still managed to swing a massive arm towards the two. Mikoto dodged while Touma jumped forward, his right hand connecting with the fist of the giant. The second the two met, the giant began crumbling once more.

Touma jumped back as the stones began pulling themselves back together, rebuilding the giant. He jumped back further as the beast brought its palm down, crushing the ground beneath it. The resulting shockwave launched Touma off his feet, directly into the arms of Mikoto.

He shook his head before looking up at her. "Thanks, Biri-Biri," he said with a smile. The moment he did so, Mikoto's face burned a bright red and she began yelling at him for reasons he couldn't comprehend.

"I—it's not like I was _trying _to save you or anything!"

Touma didn't get to reply before the ground began shaking once more. He looked up and noticed the giant moving towards them. His eyes widened and he grabbed Mikoto and the two went tumbling to the ground, just as a massive fist passed over their heads. The fist crashed into the wall of a building, utterly demolishing it.

"We have to find a way to beat it…"

Mikoto nodded in response. "Yeah, before it destroys everything in the area."

Mikoto was forced to jump away as a giant foot closed in on them. Touma on the other hand, simply stood there with a determined expression on his face. As soon as the foot came close enough, he reached out, touching it with his right hand. The effect was immediate, but ineffective in the end.

Within seconds of crumbling, the giant had rebuilt itself with deadly efficiency. A deep laugh escaped its throat as it looked down at Touma.

**"You're beginning to irritate me. You know, I need your power, but I don't need you to be in 'good' condition. By the way, I wouldn't try blocking this…"**

As she said that, the giant extended its index and middle fingers at Touma. A rock spike flew out of each finger, heading straight for Touma. Before he could do anything, he felt somebody tackle him to the ground, away from the spikes. He looked up and noticed…

"Kuroko?!"

***Page Break***

Siren's head throbbed as he attempted to haul himself from the rubble. His head didn't hurt because of the kick, it hurt because of…

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? –ELIZABETH? WHAT IS SHE?"

**A massive abomination hauled itself from the rubble as it faced him. It unleashed a loud shriek of fury and tentacles erupted from its body. Within seconds, a massive shockwave was sent out from the beast, throwing Infected and Blackwatch soldiers in every direction.**

Yeah…that. He couldn't understand this at all. He had memories that shouldn't have existed within him. And yet, they felt so…familiar.

He grunted as he pushed the rubble aside, standing up to his full height. Tentacles surrounded his body, working to heal his injuries. It wasn't anything major, but he still preferred to enter a fight with his body in good condition.

He began walking forward, shoving aside anything that got in his way. Before long, he made it out of the fallen building, and began looking around. He spotted the giant instantly, along with Mikoto, Touma, and…who was that?

He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the newcomer. Currently, she had Touma pinned to the ground, and he was…wait…he was smiling. And…thanking her?

It was then that Siren recognized the girl. It was the girl from the clothing store that had come on behalf of Judgment. What was her name? Kurako? Kuronko? Kabuto? Naruto?

_No…Kuroko! That's her name; Kuroko._

She was an esper who could teleport, as far as he knew at least. He didn't have much info on her, but if her ability was teleporting, she might not be of use against something like this. Teleporting it away meant somebody else was going to have to deal with it, and it would only come back.

Siren shut his eyes in frustration.

_Please don't try and get in on the whole 'Help Siren stop REDLIGHT and BLACKLIGHT' thing…_

He had enough trouble as it was, and he didn't need another loose cannon, especially one that was so openly attempting to make advances on Mikoto, who, in his opinion, was enough trouble as it was.

Before he could continue his small mental rant, he noticed the giant winding up for another kick. He frowned as he allowed his arms to transform into his Claws. He lifted his right hand towards the heavens, and then brought it down into the ground, sending dozens of tendrils through the ground toward the giant.

Less than two seconds later, massive black spikes erupted beneath the giant's right foot, ripping it apart. The giant, who had its left foot in the air, came crashing to the ground with an enraged shout.

Siren craned his neck before retracting his Claws. He then transformed his right arm into his Whipfist, and began sprinting toward the giant. It didn't take him long to cover the distance between the two, but by the time he did, the giant was already halfway off the ground. As he neared the beast, he swung his Whipfist forward, wrapping it around the giant's neck.

Using the giant's head as an anchor of sorts, he swung forward, using all his weight to yank his Whipfist forward, the giant lurching forward along with him.

The trio beneath the giant looked at him with surprised expressions as he pulled on the giant's head.

"Mikoto! Now would be a good time to—!"

He was interrupted by the sound of Mikoto firing a massive blast of electricity into the giant's face. The moment she did so, he allowed his Whipfist to retract, his body plummeting to the ground. He landed a few feet away from Touma and Kuroko, creating a small crater beneath his feet.

The giant, now stumbling backwards, fell onto its back, the ground beneath it shattering bellow the weight of the beast. Siren frowned as he looked at the stone…thing. He knew almost nothing about it, so he had no idea how to kill it.

"Hey, it's you!"

Siren turned to see a now standing Kuroko looking at him with an annoyed expression. "You're that weirdo from the sto—what the heck? What the heck happened to your eyes?"

_You know, that's a good question._

"It's a long story," he half-lied. It _was _a long story; he just didn't understand all of it.

Kuroko looked at him with a suspicious expression for a second before shrugging. For this, Siren was glad. He didn't exactly understand what was going on with him or what exactly his connection was with Alex Mercer, so he couldn't explain the change in his eyes.

"Uh, not that I'm not happy for you or anything, but, didn't you have stone spike things shot through your knees just a minute ago?" Touma asked.

Siren blinked. "Hyper-accelerated healing. Didn't I tell you before?"

Now it was Touma's turn to blink. "Oh, well maybe you did, I just didn't think it worked that…fast."

It looked as though Kuroko had a few questions of her own, but she was unable to ask them because of the giant that was slowly pulling itself off the ground.

**"You! How are you even alive?!"**

Siren turned to face the giant. "The real question is how are you foolish enough to think that an attack like that would kill me? You _saw_ what happened to that little Golem army of yours in your hideout when I showed up."

The giant growled at him as it stood to its full height. **"It appears that I have underestimated you. Next time, I'll make **_**sure**_** I kill you."**

_Not if I kill you first…_

"I think you're forgetting something," Mikoto said with a smirk. "He's not alone here. We're not going to watch as you kill him. We're going to put you down; _together._"

"As a _team_," Touma added.

_A team? We've got a human battery, a teleporting lesbian, an unlucky guy who cancels out powers, and a sapient virus…what kind of team is this again?_

"But I just met this silver-hai—" Kuroko's sentence was interrupted as the giant swung a massive fist toward them. Kuroko teleported away while Mikoto rolled out of the way. Touma and Siren both rushed forward to intercept the attack, but Siren easily outpaced Touma. As the fist slammed into the ground, Siren grabbed Touma to keep him from being blown back by the force of the attack.

He then jumped onto the giant's fist, running up its arm towards it head. "Go," he commanded as he threw Touma towards the giant's head. Touma seemed to understand, and as he flew towards the giant's head, he pulled back his fist and punched the giant's head with all his might. Granted, that wasn't a lot of might, but the Imagine Breaker still did its job, causing the giant to crumble. Touma yelped as he lost his footing and began falling along with the crumbling giant.

Before he could hit the ground, Siren managed to grab the unlucky teen and the two landed with a thud onto the street. Siren set Touma down as Mikoto and Kuroko ran up to them. "We need to figure out how to put it down permanently," said Kuroko. "Have you guys noticed any weaknesses yet?"

"We haven't fought this thing for long. We haven't had time to figure anything out," said Mikoto.

Siren nodded in agreement. "We need more time. Look, for now, we have to keep this thing at bay. If we let it rampage, it's only going to cause serious problems for all of us."

Touma nodded. "Right. Listen, she's after me, maybe we could use me as bait of some sort."

"No!"

Everyone present looked over to Mikoto after her outburst. Immediately, her face burned as she began twirling her fingers. "I—I mean, we can't use a comrade as bait, can we? It's not right…"

Siren frowned. "I don't see what the problem is. Touma's ability lets him cancel out that thing's attacks. Besides, I can help keep him alive; I can knock the giant around or just carry Touma. On top of that, YOU can still just shoot the thing. The only one here who wouldn't be as effective would be Kuroko. Teleporting probably won't help us much in this situation, especially since she can't teleport with Touma, due to his Imagine Breaker."

"Hey!" Kuroko shouted.

"W—well, when you put it that way…"

Next to her, Kuroko was practically in tears. "Onee-sama, what could you possibly see in this troglodyte?! Why were you so quick to oppose using him as bait?!"

By now, Siren had already turned to face the giant as it stood up. He heard the female voice give a slight grunt as the giant rose to its feet. **"If anything, your efforts are annoying at best. Now, can you kindly step aside so I can just get what I came for?"**

"Why don't you step out of this stone thing so I can rip you limb from limb?"

The giant cocked its head. **"Now why would I do that? It's so much more fun crushing people to death from up here. The view is great!"**

Siren said nothing and opted to look behind the giant.

**"Nothing to say, eh? Oh well, this conversation was boring anyway and I—what are you looking at?"**

Before the giant could turn around, a pair of black objects hit the back of the giant's head, exploding on impact. The woman who was controlling the giant shouted in surprise from inside the beast.

Mikoto blinked. "What just happened?"

Before she even finished speaking, Siren was already pointing at a group of vehicles and people that had gathered behind the giant.

"Anti-Skill."

***Page Break***

Mikoro bit her lip as she watched the battle unfold on her screen. The giant was powerful, yes, but it was outnumbered; even more so now that Anti-Skill had arrived. She didn't know if Anti-Skill knew how to deal with magicians, especially with one that controls giant Golems, but she was still glad to see them arrive on the scene.

She stared at the scene with a nervous, but curious, expression.

_Come on, what's her weakness?_

***Page Break***

_Come on, what's her weakness?_

Mikoto stared at the giant as its body repaired itself. She tried to take in every detail while the beast healed and…

_Wait…that…that might help us._

"Siren!"

The silver-haired fighter turned toward her as she ran over to him.

"Have you noticed something odd about that thing's healing abilities?"

Siren blinked. "No…what?"

"Every time she heals, the stones that reattach themselves to the giant's body are the same stones that were knocked out. It looks as though she can't just use any ordinary stones to repair herself."

Siren's eyes widened. "This giant Golem thing; she must have prepared its body _before _entering it. She didn't _create _it back at that cave, it was already there. It must have been! If you're right, and she really _can't _heal herself using ordinary stones, then there might be an efficient way to defeat her."

Mikoto cocked her head. "And that would be?"

"We have to prevent her from being able to pull the giant back together. That will force her out of it," Kuroko said from behind Mikoto. She then looked to Siren. "That _was _what you were going to suggest, correct?"

Siren nodded. "If we can somehow hold the stones down, she can't rebuild her giant. She'll be forced to leave its body and manifest in physical form. Or, she'll manifest in that black mist…"

"Black mist?" Touma asked as he came closer to listen in.

Siren nodded. "She transformed into a black mist when she entered that thing's body. Even if she does manifest as that black mist, we just need to have Touma touch her. That should force her into human form."

As the group talked, Anti-Skill continued firing upon the giant, drawing its attention away from the group. However, this resulted in the giant becoming more and more enraged.

Mikoto noticed that the giant had begun walking toward the members of Anti-Skill, and, despite their efforts, the giant wasn't stopping. She frowned as she began walking forward, electricity dancing around her. She smirked as she produced a coin from her pocket.

"That again?"

Mikoto turned to look at Siren. "Yes, _that_ again," she said with a smug expression.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm going to try to gather some information on this thing. See if you can keep it occupied so I can observe it without interruptions."

Mikoto nodded and turned back toward the giant as Siren sprinted forward. She balanced the coin on her finger, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Abruptly, her eyes snapped open and she flipped the coin into the air. Time seemed to slow as the coin fell back towards her hand. She grinned as the coin came closer to her hand…

***Page Break***

Siren had sprinted for less than a few seconds before he heard the sound of Mikoto firing her railgun. The projectile flew past him at incredible speeds, heading straight for the back of the giant's head. A ghost of a smile touched Siren's lips as he watched the projectile tear through the giant's head. Not only was he satisfied with the outcome, but he was also slightly impressed by the power Mikoto wielded. Sure, it wasn't very effective against him, but it was still an overall effective power to have. And even with this power, she retained her humanity. The power Siren wielded was beyond anything a normal human could do, but he was not human, he was BLACKLIGHT.

Mikoto also had power that was far beyond anything a normal human could accomplish, and she was still human too. From Siren's perspective, it was an incredible feat for a human to posses that kind of power.

His expression hardened as he neared the giant. He could worry about those things later. For now, his goal was to figure out how to prevent this giant from properly healing. He jumped onto a building wall and began running along the side until he was level with the giant's head as it rebuilt.

Looking at the neck, he noticed that the inside of it seemed to be made of stone as well. He didn't know if the giant was hollow or not, but at least he knew that this top portion wasn't.

He jerked back as a stray explosive flew past his face, landing in the distance. He frowned in annoyance.

He looked back toward the giant, only to drop down from the building as the giant sent a fist crashing through the wall he was on just a second ago.

He groaned in annoyance as the beast tried to crush him underfoot once more.

**"Little insects! You're nothing, nothing I tell you! I could crush you all without a second thought!"**

Siren dashed forward as the giant tried stomping on him once more. He transformed his arms into Hammerfists and leapt at the giant's left foot. He quickly went to work demolishing the limb, causing the giant to fall once more with an enraged shout.

_Keep her busy. Don't give her time to counter attack, just keep knocking her down…_

**"Stop knocking me over you damn brat!"**

Siren dashed once more as the stone giant attempted to swat him aside. As the massive fist moved past him, he jumped into the air and then slammed both Hammerfists down on the massive hand. The limb began crumbling and falling apart, just as the giant's left foot was repairing itself. It was then that he noticed something.

_Wait, that's it!_

He ran towards the building he was on earlier and began sprinting straight up the wall.

_I can use two more Devastators. The first one will be to confirm the theory; the second would be to finish this thing off._

When Siren was well above the giant, he leapt off the building. As he plummeted toward the giant, his body began writhing and thrashing as tentacles began squirming all over him. He pulled back his arms, and then jerked them forward out in front of his body. A barrage of tentacles erupted from his arms, thrashing and twisting at insane speeds. The tentacles looked like a warped, black mass as they moved toward the giant at high speeds.

As soon as the tentacles met the head of the giant, they began drilling through it like it was nothing more than paper. They didn't stop at the head though. The tentacles continued drilling through the giant, ripping it to pieces as they made their way down. Soon, he had drilled through the entire giant, leaving it nothing more than medium sized rocks.

***Page Break***

Mikoto stared at the scene before her with wide eyes. She may not have known the extent of Siren's powers, but this…this was insanity. He had literally _drilled_ through the entire giant when a grenade barrage barely chipped it. Had this been an opponent who possessed a biological body…she shuddered to think what those tentacles could have done to a human being.

Despite the display of power, the giant still began pulling itself back together. However, instead of fighting it, Siren was sprinting toward her.

As he got closer, Mikoto noticed that he looked calm as ever. It wasn't the look she expected from somebody who just watched their opponent shrug off and attack like that, but if he still seemed confident, that could only mean something good, right?

"Mikoto," he said when he was close enough. "You can manipulate certain metals, right?"

"Uh, yes…why?"

"Look, that giant had lots of iron and other metals in its body. When Touma touched the giant, it fell apart in most large pieces. That prevented us from seeing deeper into its body. I barely noticed the pieces of metal when I was crushing its hand and foot. I used that last Devastator to rip it apart so that I could get a better look and, just like I though, I saw metal in its body."

Mikoto nodded. "Ok, so…how does this help us?"

"I can pull off one more Devastator. If I do that, I can pin some of the stones to the ground. You can manipulate the metal and hold the stones down in that manner. With our combined efforts, we should be able to keep it from rebuilding. This will force the woman controlling the giant to leave its body. Once it does, Kuroko can keep teleporting around the woman, cutting off any escape routes until Touma can get to her. If he gets to her, he can cut off all her abilities. After that…"

Mikoto nodded in understanding. "You know, that just might work," she said with a smirk. "Hurry and tell the others."

***Page Break***

Mikoto gulped as she prepared to do her part. She was slightly hesitant to try this, but it seemed like the best chance they had. The Anti-Skill members, who were still firing at the giant, were already informed of the plan and had volunteered to draw the giant's attention until Mikoto and the others could pull off Siren's plan.

Mikoto looked up toward Siren on his position at the rooftops. He had explained his plan to everybody, and even though she had to admit it seemed risky, she knew it was the best chance they had.

She looked over to Kuroko, who gave her a thumbs up, then to Touma, who did the same.

Finally, she looked back to Siren, signaling that everybody was ready. The giant was still focused on Anti-Skill, and it was still getting closer to them. They managed to severely decrease the giant's speed by repeatedly shooting at its feet and hands, causing it to fall and to have a hard time picking itself back up. This of course, enraged the giant far more than anything else they tried.

Mikoto was pulled from her thoughts as she saw Siren dive off the edge of the building, straight for the giant. Anti-Skill ceased fire, allowing the giant to finally stand up straight. By now, the woman was screaming in fury at being knocked down so many times and began sprinting toward Anti-Skill. However, before she could get far, Siren crashed into her back, ripping through the stone, plunging deep into the giant's body.

**"What the hell? What are you doing in there?! Get out! GET OUT!"**

The giant thrashed about as it tried to force Siren out of its body, but to no avail. Suddenly the giant stopped moving, its head looking down toward its chest.

**"What are you doi—NO, STOP! DON'T DO IT! I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!"**

Of course, Siren didn't stop. Within a second of her outburst, hundreds upon hundreds of tentacles erupted from the giant's body, tearing it apart. The giant began falling apart, the largest of the stones being pinned to various surfaces by the tentacles.

Mikoto ducked with a yelp as a tentacle flew over her head, crashing into the street behind her. Touma and Kuroko were also doing their best to avoid the tentacles as they embedded themselves in everything from the street to the cars on it.

Now, above all this carnage, Siren Mercer hung suspended by his tentacles in mid-air. She barely recognized his twisted form; he still retained his human shape, but his body was a mass of black tentacles with parts of his pale body showing through.

She saw him turn to her, and scream a single word.

"NOW!"

With a look of determination, Mikoto began manipulating the iron in the giant's body, preventing the woman from pulling it back together.

**"LET GO!"**

With Siren pinning the larger stones with his tentacles, and Mikoto holding the smaller ones by manipulating the iron within them, the woman was unable to repair her giant. She struggled violently to regain control of the giant but to no avail. This continued on for a minute before, finally, Mikoto watched black mist seep from the stones, attempting to escape.

Instantly, Kuroko teleported in front of the black mist, blocking its path. She smirked as the black mist tried to maneuver around her, but she kept teleporting in front of it. While the black mist was busy trying to outmaneuver Kuroko, Touma was sprinting toward it as fast as he could. He came closer and closer, but the black mist was still oblivious to his presence.

Just as he came up behind the black mist, it turned around to try and avoid Kuroko. However, the black mist turned just in time to see Touma's right hand reaching out towards it. The second he touched it, the black mist came together and instantly formed a female human being. She wore a plain black robe that covered her entire body, except for her head. She looked to be in her early forties and had a head of brown hair tied in a bun. Her slightly tanned skin and slightly aged face was not what Mikoto expected to see from somebody who had led an army of Golems to find one guy.

Touma jerked back his right hand, and then slammed it into the woman's face as hard as he could. The impact knocked her unconscious and sent her crashing into the street, her face a bloody mess. Her eyes were shut and there was a pained expression on her face, most likely from Touma's attack.

Time seemed to stop as everybody present looked toward the unconscious woman. The only movement was that of the tentacles as they retracted into Siren's body. As soon as they all retracted, he fell to the ground, creating a crater where he landed.

"Nice punch," he commented.

That seemed to break everybody out of their daze. Anti-Skill members cheered and patted each other on the back as they moved toward the woman. Meanwhile, Mikoto, Touma, and Kuroko were busy congratulating each other. Siren on the other hand, stood off to the side, eying the approaching Anti-Skill members.

"I didn't think that would really work," Mikoto commented as she walked up to Siren. He turned to her with a frown.

"Oh? What made you think that?"

Mikoto shrugged. "It just sounded far-fetched."

Siren raised an eyebrow. "Does an army of zombies sound far-fetched to you?"

Mikoto blinked. "Uh, yes?"

Siren smirked. "New York would have blown you away."

Mikoto cocked her head. "Excuse me?"

Siren shook his head. "Nothing. Just…forget I said anything."

Mikoto noticed Siren giving the Anti-Skill member a death glare, but she paid it not mind. She was about to say something, but was interrupted as Siren's expression turned to one of slight panic.

"Oh you've _got _to be kidding me."

Before Mikoto could ask him what he was talking about, an Anti-Skill member picked up the woman and began hauling her toward a truck that was parked off in the distance.

"We'll be taking this one with us for questioning and other things. Thank you for your help…"

His words were drowned out as Mikoto felt a pair of arms wrap around her neck from behind. "Onee-sama! You were amazing back there!"

Mikoto growled and electricity sparked around her. "Kuroko…" she warned in a threatening tone. Touma began laughing at the exchange, as did several of the Anti-Skill members. However, everybody failed to notice the cold fury in Siren's eyes as he watched the woman dragged away.

"By the way, what should we do about that girl that Siren brought out from the subway?"

***Page Break***

She crept silently along the alley wall as the light of the moon bathed the buildings around her in its silver light. Her black robe prevented her from moving very fast, but right now, speed was not as important as stealth.

"The fools," she muttered to herself. "Did they really think that _I _could be held captive in such a manner? I could hardly call myself a magician if such a basic building could hold _me _captive."

She smirked to herself as she moved. Escape was far easier than expected; the stone walls literally crumbled at a mere touch of her fingertips. Escape from a 'cage' like that was child's play for one such as her.

As she moved, she began feeling uneasy; as though somebody was _watching _her. She jerked her head around, looking for anybody, but failed to see anyone. Despite the uneasy feeling, she told herself to keep moving.

As she moved, she stayed on high alert, jumping at the slightest sounds and the smallest shift in the shadows. She kept telling herself that she was alone but…

*Crunch*

Her head whirled around as she heard the sound of an empty can being crushed underfoot. She looked down at her feet, noting the distinct lack of cans. Whoever stepped on the can was _not _her. Her eyes narrowed as she stared into alley. She looked for several seconds, trying to find anything that could—

"Mmph!"

She tried to scream as a cold hand covered her mouth and she felt herself being dragged backwards, deep into the shadows of the buildings. Whoever held her slammed her into a wall, their hand still covering her mouth. She grabbed her attacker's arm and tried to kick his or her legs. Her kicks connected, but her attacker refused to let her go.

Her attacker slammed her into the wall again and again. Her eyes widened as she felt something break on the fourth slam. Instantly her kicks subsided and she tried focusing on her attack for the first time since he or she grabbed her. The first thing she noticed was the pair of blue-grey eyes that stared at her.

Suddenly, a sickening realization came over her. She had _seen_ these eyes before.

"Remember me?"

It was _him_. The silver-haired fighter from earlier!

"I hope you didn't think Anti-Skill would save you from me. Honestly, it was infuriating; watching my meal dragged away."

_Meal? What the fuck is he talking about?_

"I should have known that Anti-Skill would try to take you in. I should have drawn you away so I could have killed you earlier. Oh well, better late than never."

The woman's struggles became more and more frantic as the hand holding her hoisted her up into the air. She tried to scream, but the hand prevented her from doing so. Suddenly, she felt herself brutally thrown at the ground. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened in a silent scream as she felt several bones break. Before she could find her voice, the silver-haired figure loomed over her, raising his right foot over her head.

"Lights out."

It was the last thing she ever saw.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Escape: How did the mysterious woman escape prison? That question will be answered in the next chapter ;)**

** Final Scene: If you remember, Siren became infuriated with the woman (whose name will be revealed next chapter) when he saw her threaten to crush the boy in the store. He was reminded of Dana and Greene (oh boy, some lost memories showing up), and was overcome with rage. He resolved to kill the woman, and Anti-Skill was not about to get in his way; that's why he killed her.**

** Touma's Attacks: Some of you may be wondering "Anti-Atom, how on Earth is Touma punching a stone giant's fist as it flies toward him and not taking **_**any **_**damage?" Well, I know it seems odd that Touma can stop that kind of force with his Imagine Breaker alone, but during one of his fights with Mikoto, she swung her chainsaw-iron-sword-whip-thing of death at him, and he was able to stop it with just his hand without taking any serious injury. So, I'm applying similar logic here.**

** Mikoto: If you're wondering, yes Mikoto is still Tsundere in this fic. She'll act that way towards Touma, so no, she won't fall for Siren (at least, that's the plan).**

** Siren's Drilling Devastator: This was called the Critical Pain Devastator in [Prototype] for those of you who were wondering. **

** How Does The Woman Know Siren Is About To Use His Devastator?: She felt the writhing tentacles and noticed him curl up and prepare to release them.**

** Why Do People Help Siren?: Some of you might also be wondering, "Anti-Atom, why do have people helping Siren so often? He seems like the 'I work alone' type." So, why do I do this? The answer is simple; one needs to be powerful or have powerful people helping him/her when facing a powerful enemy. In other words, the main antagonist is going to be one hell of a monster. Siren understands the risk of REDLIGHT and the portions of BLACKLIGHT out there, so he is, reluctantly, going along with some of the whole 'team' concepts. Even so, that does not mean he's trusting of them. He's paranoid and, in the words of one of my readers, he has trust issues. He trusts Mikoro to an extent, but he's still wary of the others, and keeps secrets from **_**everybody**_**, as you'll soon see.**

** A Team: Looks like Siren has a few people backing him up. How comfortable is he with this? How much will Mikoto get on his nerves? Is Kuroko a permanent part of the team? How will Siren deal with all this insanity? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z—crap! I meant A Certain Sapient Virus! **


	12. Chapter 12

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN [PROTOTYPE], PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!

** A FAIR WARNING: This chapter contains some confusing things. If you feel confused, please read the Explanations/Clarifications section at the bottom of the chapter before PMing me. Also, please keep in mind this fic will have mystery elements. Not everything is meant to be understood immediately. If the Explanations/Clarifications section says that it will be explained later on in the story, then that's what will happen. Other than that; enjoy!**

**Chapter 12**

**Consume and Evolve**

"Ichijo Sakura, the woman behind yesterday's attacks escaped prison last night around 1:20 am. Authorities spotted her charging into a building on the edge of Academy City, only to detonate a bomb from within the structure. The resulting explosion left little more than…"

Siren paid no attention to what the man on the screen said afterward. He had already learned what he needed to know. He smiled as he looked at the image of the building that he had destroyed last night.

Fooling Anti-Skill was pitifully easy. In order to get the woman out of prison, he figured out where Anti-Skill had put her, and had smashed the wall as soon as she tried touching it. His thermal vision allowed him to track her heat signature through the surface and he was able to time his punch so that he hit the wall as soon as she touched it. Normally, the woman's magic wouldn't have worked on the wall since the wall wasn't constructed of earthly materials. It looked like stone, but it wasn't really. It was an artificial substance that was designed to look like stone, but it was much more durable. As soon as she made her way out, he simply followed and consumed her. After he consumed Sakura, the woman controlling the Golems, he simply led the authorities into the building where he had planted the bomb beforehand, which he stole from a local gang that was planning on using it during a bank robbery. The initial explosion wouldn't have been enough to destroy the building. This forced him to choose a spot where there were plenty of gas tanks and other explosive objects. Then, after he was sure some authorities saw him, he walked into the building and detonated the bomb.

Of course, Anti-Skill would become suspicious if they didn't find a body…or the remains of one. In order to convince them that Ichijo Sakura was dead, he had dragged a female gang member along with him into the building. He had left her there when he set off the bomb. By the time Anti-Skill found the remains of the woman's body, they were beyond recognizable. On top of that, Sakura's memories told him that Anti-Skill was never able to get a DNA sample from her or anything of the sort, so Anti-Skill had nothing to compare the remains too.

Now, everybody thought that Ichijo Sakura had taken the 'coward's way out' and simply didn't want to spend a life time in jail. He didn't really care what they thought of Sakura, as long as they couldn't trace her death to him. That would lead to…complications.

Satisfied that his plan had worked, Siren leaned against the wall he was standing by. He was in the back of the coffee shop that he usually went to when he was gathering information on Craig, back when he was alive that is. It was still very early in the morning, so the shop was mostly empty; just how he preferred. Right now, he had too much on his mind to listen to the chatter of ignorant civilians.

He sighed as one of the biggest realizations he ever had came to mind. Dana Mercer; his _sister._ Up until yesterday, the name Dana was nothing more than a foggy memory. Now…now it was life-changing discovery. He had a _sister._ Or rather, somebody who was a sister to him in all but blood. She, as far as he knew, was human. He was not. There was no way they could be related by blood, but she was a sister to him in every other conceivable way. He hadn't told anybody about this; not Mikoro, not Touma, not Index, not Mikoto. _Nobody _but him knew.

A large part of him told him to keep it that way. To keep something this personal away from people around him. Despite him gaining some memories of Dana, a lot of his other memories were as foggy as ever. However, a few memories gave off a distinct atmosphere; one that screamed _betrayal_. For reasons he didn't yet understand, he seemed to grow more wary of the people he was currently teaming up with; even Mikoro. He knew she meant him no harm, but he still had a nagging thought that kept telling him that nobody could be trusted; that _everybody_ was the enemy. The only person that seemed to be truly excluded from that list was Dana.

He ran a hand through his silver hair as he looked toward the floor. He hadn't bothered changing his clothes since the mall; when he had those strange images of Alex Mercer racing through his mind, and now, looking at his shoes, he was reminded of how much his clothes looked like those of Alex Mercer. Looking back toward the T.V, he saw a reflection in the screen as somebody approached him. He frowned. He didn't recognize this person; the reflection was still pretty blurry. However, he quickly noticed a pair of red eyes that gazed at the T.V. For a second, he met the eyes in the reflection, and he heard as somebody behind him chuckled lightly.

"Admiring your handiwork? I have to say, that was a pretty bold move; taking a criminal out from under Anti-Skill's nose."

Siren slowly turned toward the red-eyed male behind him, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the smile on the male's face.

"Aww, what's wrong? Not so fun when somebody is casually spitting out all YOUR dirty little secrets," Accelerator said with a smug expression on his face.

"I can't say I blame you for trying to get some dirt on me. After all, not everybody can say that they killed a couple thousand innocent little girls. Even fewer can accuse you of doing so without the fear of dying," Siren replied with an expressionless stare.

Accelerator grinned. "Yeah, I gotta say Esper, you got some balls, casually blurting out something that classified."

Siren frowned. "I told you I'm not an esper."

Accelerator shrugged. "I don't know what the fuck you are or what your name is. So for now, I'm calling you Esper."

A moment of silence passed as Siren sized Accelerator up. If he wanted to, he could kill the albino esper without too much trouble. He considered the thought for a second before he opened his mouth.

"So what are you here for? If you think you can blackmail me into something with this information; you're in for a huge disappointment."

Accelerator smirked. "That's a pretty bold statement. Considering the chaos this could cause, I'd say this is more than enough to blackmail anybody."

Siren shrugged. "It's not hard dealing with something like this. All I'd have to do is kill anybody who knew. After all, besides me, you're the only who knows."

Accelerator smirked. "I'm beginning to doubt your mental stability."

"I'd say I lost that quite some time ago. 'Stability' doesn't really have a place in my life."

Accelerator raised an eyebrow.

Siren took the moment of silence as an opportunity to ask the question that had been on his mind from the moment Accelerator showed up. "So, how did you find out?"

"By accident to be honest. I saw you walking toward an alley way while I was out picking something up for Last Order. From the way you were looking about and inspecting the alley, it was obvious you were checking the place out, making sure it was empty, and then you walked in. I decided to follow, and what do ya know? You're breaking people out of prison only to kill them, absorb them, or whatever it is you did, and then wear their face to fool the authorities."

Siren frowned. He was happy this place was almost empty, but that didn't mean somebody wouldn't overhear their conversation. He was also glad that Accelerator was keeping his voice down. "So what's to stop me from killing you here and now?"

Accelerator grinned. "For one, I'm the fucking Accelerator. You _can't_ just killme. I think you know that I'm no pushover. Not like the little bitch you killed yesterday. So, instead of the two of us wasting time with a fight, I suggest you listen to me."

Siren frowned. He knew that Accelerator was strong, but he was still the superior being. The albino esper still had human limitations; like a biological body that simply couldn't withstand the tremendous force Siren could produce. Still, a fight with Accelerator would attract the attention of Anti-Skill. However…Siren still had the upper hand in terms of blackmailing…

He shook his head. "At this rate, we'll be here all day, and this is getting us nowhere. Neither of us gains anything from this, so hurry up and tell me what you want or fuck off."

Accelerator smirked. "You know, you keep talking like that, I might just go and inform Anti-Skill of your little stunt."

Siren rolled his eyes. "Let me explain something to you. How easy do you think it is to start a war?"

Accelerator blinked. "What?"

Siren chuckled. "Let me spell it out for you. You _saw_ me turn into somebody else. Do you really think I can't take the shape of an influential figure? I could worm my way into a country's _government _if I wanted to."

Accelerator frowned. "Your point?"

A dark grin formed on Siren's face. "I could cause absolute _mayhem_ and blame it all on _you_. Given your past, it wouldn't be too hard to believe. Now, let's say I get into another county's government. They suddenly start experiencing disasters, sightings of a guy with strange hair always fleeing the scene of the crime, so on and so forth. Something like that could easily be blamed on somebody like you. If another country thought you were behind such issues, and if a certain shape shifter were to start rumors about you being a living weapon created by the Japanese government to be used against other countries, it could lead to a war with Japan."

Accelerator narrowed his eyes. "You're insane."

Siren shrugged. "I know. I figured that out a long time ago. However, all this can be avoided if we both agree to keep each other's secrets as just that; secrets. I personally do not care if your country goes to war. I've got my own problems, and a war might lead to some people who I really hate to die horrible deaths."

_It would be just perfect if I could get Blackwatch to go to war with someone; have the idiots kill each other._

"So let me get this straight," Accelerator started. "You want me to keep your secret and in turn, you keep mine? And if I start telling people, you start a war?"

"At the time, the last thing I need is for Anti-Skill to be attacking me, so yes; I would go to such lengths."

Accelerator stared at him for a second before smirking. "You know, I thought the only person who'd ever go to such extreme lengths was me. I guess monsters like us think alike."

Siren returned the smirk.

"You know, the reason I came here was to ask you some questions. Your little secret was going to be something I would use to get you to talk. However, that plan seems to have gone out the window. However, there's still a simple question I have for you."

Siren frowned. "What?"

"Why are YOU here? You don't look Japanese, and if you were somebody who was in Academy City for a long time, I would have heard about somebody as powerful as you. That means that you haven't been here too long. So tell me, what brought you to Academy City?"

Siren thought about Accelerator's question for a second before shaking his head. "No…no. That's not the question you want answered."

"Huh? What the hell do you mea—?"

"You don't really care what I'm here for as long as it doesn't involve me harming you or Last Order. That's what this is about; you want to know if my reasons for being here involve you or Last Order. I don't blame you; you've lived a life where the world seems to be against you. You're probably used to powerful people trying to kill you, and you're mistaking me for somebody who has something against you. I'll say this once so listen; I don't care about you or Last Order. Neither of you are my problem. Why I'm here is my business, but it has nothing to do with you or Last Order."

For nearly a minute, the two simply stood there, locked in a staring contest. Accelerator was the first to break the silence.

"If you're lying, know that I won't hesitate to beat you to death with your own limbs," Accelerator growled as he began walking away.

Siren watched the albino esper leave before he turned back to the T.V

***Page Break***

Mikoro sat back with a sigh as she finished her speech. On the couch in front of her sat none other than Misaka Mikoto. At the moment, the electric esper's expression was one of pure rage and unrestrained fury.

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, electricity sparking around her. Mikoro gulped as she watched the girl in front of her.

"M-Mikoto stop. You're going to blow my house to pieces if you don't calm down…"

"Those….those…._bastards_…how could they do something like that? How could they create something so…_evil_?"

Despite Mikoro's timid nature, she couldn't agree more with Mikoto about her description of the monsters involved in the events at Hope, Idaho. She had just finished telling Mikoto about the horrors of REDLIGHT and BLACKLIGHT. She also included what she knew about Gentek and Blackwatch; the corporations involved with the viruses. Needless to say, Mikoto was more than infuriated.

"So…this is what Siren is up against; the products of the twisted minds of Gentek and Blackwatch?"

Mikoro nodded. "Siren still doesn't want you on board this whole thing, but at this point, he doesn't have much of a choice. You've already made it clear that you plan on getting involved, and the only other option Siren had would have been to kill you. I know him; he doesn't want to harm the Misaka clones or you because of me."

Mikoto frowned. "Because of you?"

Mikoro nodded. "I'm the person he trusts the most, and I'm probably the closest thing he has to a real friend. He won't kill the Misaka clones or you because he knows that you guys are my family."

"So why isn't he here telling me all of this? Why did he throw that task to you? That doesn't seem like something a 'friend' would do…"

Mikoro rubbed the back of her head. "He said he needed to be alone. He said it was a personal matter that he didn't want to explain. I didn't try pushing it, but I figured he wouldn't actually have time explaining this to you, so I figured I'd do it for him."

Mikoro sat back. "When did Siren leave?"

"A couple hours ago; maybe around one o'clock?"

Mikoro looked to the digital clock on a nearby shelf. The clock read 4:34 in the afternoon. She shuddered as she realized that just over twelve hours ago, the woman from yesterday committed suicide.

She shook her head to clear the depressing thoughts from it. She may have disliked the woman and disapproved of her actions, but she didn't want to see people get killed…

However, she still wondered how that woman could have even escaped her prison. Did she have a partner?

***Page Break***

"Hurry! Go, go, go!"

"He's coming! Close that damn door!"

"Kisari! Give me a hand with this door, will ya?!"

A small group of people rushed around the cramped security room, frantically looking for a way to lose their pursuer. The room was bathed in red light and the hallway beyond the closing door had a few red lights along the walls. The limited light meant that finding another exit was next to impossible. Two men were pushing against a metal door, sealing off the only visible entrance to the room.

"Come on, come on! There's got to be another way out of this place! Maybe a secret entrance or—!"

"He's on the cameras! I can fucking see him on the cameras!"

Sure enough, the monitors displayed exactly what the cameras in the hallways were picking up. There, running down the hallway, was a hooded figure. He made his way through the network of corridors with inhumane speed and somehow, he was tracking the group effortlessly.

"Reiko, help me find another way out—!"

The man who was shouting was interrupted as a *bang* sounded throughout the room. All heads turned toward the metal door. A second bang followed, but this time, the door _moved._

"Kisari! Basara! Keep that door shut! Don't let that psychopath in here!"

The two men rushed toward the door, slamming against it. They pressed their entire bodies against the door, throwing all their weight against it in an attempt to keep it shut.

A third bang echoed throughout the door. This time, the walls around the door cracked a little and dust fell from the ceiling. A fourth bang caused the two men holding the door to be pushed back as the metal began bending backwards, giving in to the force on the other side.

"Reiko! Help me find another way out!"

"The door's gonna give, it's gonna give!"

"Hurry! Find another damn exit! There's gotta be a way leading into the bunker!"

Finally, the metal door gave in as another loud *bang* sounded off. The two men holding the door were thrown back as the door was ripped from its hinges, flying backwards into the room, kicking up large amounts of dust as it landed.

All activity in the room ceased as a figure appeared in the dust. Two blue, glowing orbs stared at them from out of the darkness, regarding them as though they were pieces of meat.

Slowly, the figure stepped forward into the light. The group could now clearly see that his eyes had grey sclera, and if anything, they looked…dead. As though he was in a trance of some sort.

The group stared at him before one of them decided to take a chance. With a battle cry, he rushed forward, pulling a knife from his belt. As soon as he neared the hooded figure, he lashed out with the knife, attempting to slice the figure's throat.

However, with figure simply sidestepped the awkward charge and grabbed the man by his right arm. With a twist, the arm broke and the man let out a scream of pain. But the hooded figure didn't stop there. With another twist, he grabbed the knife from the man's right hand and plunged it deep into the man's head.

His grip loosened, and the body went tumbling to the floor.

With their jaws hanging open and their will to fight quickly leaving them, the remaining members of the group began stumbling backwards as the hooded figure began advancing on them. Soon, they felt their backs press against the far wall.

As soon as they stopped, the figure stopped. After a second of silence, one of them spoke. "H-hey man, maybe we could work something out?"

The response he received terrified everyone in the room, save for the hooded figure himself. A black tentacle fired from his right arm, a sharp blade at the end. The tentacle buried itself in the chest of the man who had spoken, and he was yanked toward the figure.

The group watched in horror as the figure began _absorbing _their comrade. Driven by adrenaline and terror, the group made an attempt to run past the hooded figure toward the door. The moment they neared the door, more tentacles sprang from behind them, grabbing those who were too slow to dodge them.

However, one man, the man who was giving orders, made it out of the room. At this point, he didn't care what happened to his comrades, as long as he survived. His legs carried him through the hallway while his mind searched for an exit from the horrible place. He quickly noticed a door on his right, one that was still open.

With hope-filled eyes, he ran towards the door, reaching out toward it. As soon as he touched the door however, something jerked him back. He fell on his stomach and noticed a blade-tipped tentacle imbedded in his left leg. The shock of the realization prevented him from immediately feeling the pain, but the shock was quickly turning into all-out horror and panic.

Before he could scream, the tentacle yanked him backwards with surprising strength. His hands met the floor as he was dragged by his foot back into the room from which he had been running from. His fingers clawed at the floor, desperately attempting to halt his movement, but to no avail.

He felt somebody plant a foot on his back and then next thing he knew, something hit him in the back, and he saw red liquid spray across the walls.

Blood. _His _blood.

He was dying, and it was because the thing on top of him was ripping him apart.

His vision quickly began fading, and the last thing he heard was the sound of heavy footsteps as somebody walked away from his body.

***Page Break***

Siren's eyes snapped open and he immediately regretted it. Pain exploded within his head and he let out a shriek of pain. He attempted to stand but only succeeded in stumbling forward before falling on his stomach. His hands pounded the metal floor, leaving dents and holes where he hit. Tentacles began writhing around his body against his will and he felt his arms bending at odd angles before snapping back into place.

"What's happening to me?!"

Of course, nobody heard his screams and shouts. The hallway he was in was devoid of human presence; the only movement was his writhing and thrashing.

Slowly, and with great effort, he began standing. His limbs began changing into various weapons, but against his will. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth as more pain manifested itself in his limbs.

He stumbled backwards, his hands clawing at the walls to try and catch his balance. He failed to do so, and fell backwards; landing on something considerably softer than the metal floor he was standing on.

With a pained expression, he turned to look at what he was sitting on, and his eyes widened as he noticed a corpse. It looked as though it had been mauled by a wild animal, one that had attacked with primal rage. Despite the mutilated corpse beneath him, he leaned back, using it for support. Right now, his concern wasn't the corpse; it was the pain shooting through his body.

After a few minutes of writhing tentacles and excruciating pain, the horrible feeling began fading. The pain slowly began to disappear, along with the writhing tentacles. When all the pain had disappeared, Siren slowly stood up. He stumbled a bit, but was able to catch himself before another fall.

"What the _fuck_ just happened?"

He looked back towards the corpse, noting the fist-sized holes in its back. He desperately tried to remember the events that might have led up to this. He looked around, taking in the scenery. He was in a hallway with a metal floor, roof, and walls. The hallway was bathed in red light, and there was a room at the end with a door that stood slightly ajar.

_Alright, I know this place. I came here because of gang activity and I was planning on putting a stop to it._

He walked toward the door, noticing the bloody hand prints all over it. He slowly pushed it open, revealing a small security room. There were screens against one wall, depicting various parts of the building.

He noticed that there were bodies scattered all over the room. Some lacked limbs, others had innumerable fatal injuries. He looked closely at some of the less mutilated faces.

_That's right. I saw these guys when I jumped through the roof…I killed a few of their friends, and they took off running…but I remember falling…I just blacked out in the hallway, and then…nothing. What happened? _

He walked over to the screens, some of them covered by blood and various organs. He wiped some of the blood away from a black screen that looked to be connected to the central computer.

He turned the computer on, hoping to find security footage that might explain what had happened.

Slowly, the screen flickered to life, and he began navigating through various menus until he found footage from today's date. He moved the cursor over the 'Play' button and clicked.

A video popped up of several people frantically running into the security room, shouting at each other. One seemed to be giving order to the rest, telling them to seal off the room. He looked back toward the corpses. They had the same faces as the people in the video.

He turned back toward the monitor. Now, things seemed to have changed. Two men were holding the door shut as something slammed against it over and over again. Eventually, the door burst open, sending the two men flying back. Then…

_He _walked in. Siren eyes widened as he watched himself walk through the door. His hand came up to his head as he tried to remember this.

_I…I don't remember this…when did this happen?! Just now? No, that's insane! I can't remember any of this! What the FUCKING HELL is going on?!_

He watched as he slaughtered the people in the room, one managing to escape into the hallway. Shortly afterward, he followed, and the sounds of a body being crushed and destroyed soon followed. The video ended, and Siren was left staring at his reflection in the black screen. He could barely make out himself, but he could still see his bright blue eyes reflecting off the screen.

He placed his hands on the table which the keyboard and mouse sat on. He steadied himself as he tried to make sense of the current situation. He didn't care about the fact that he killed a group of people; he was planning on killing them anyways. The problem was, he had no memory of it. His memory simply ended back in the hallway when he…blacked out.

_What caused that? What caused me to black out like that? And more importantly, how was I still fighting people when I was unconscious?_

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a faint moan behind him, coupled with the sound of shuffling feet as something stumbled toward him. He slowly turned around, his eyes widening.

There, in the doorway, stood the corpse that he had fallen on in the hallway. Its body was falling apart and a red mist was coming out of the various wounds that marked the creature's body. The creature stared at him with dead eyes, its jaws snapping as it stared at him.

Suddenly, with a shriek, it charged at him with speed that rivaled a tiger. Its arms reached out for him, the fingers growing longer by the second. Siren jumped to the side, watching the creature slam into the monitors. The computer and all the screens shattered from the impact, shards of glass embedding themselves in the creature.

It whirled around to face him, red and black tentacles writhing around its hands. Within a second, a massive pair of Claws replaced the creature's limbs.

_OK WHAT THE FUCK?! THAT'S A FUCKING INFECTED! WHAT THE HELL IS IT DOING HERE?! AND WHY THE FUCK IS IT GROWING CLAWS?!_

The Infected charged at him once more, swiping its Claws at him with primal fury. He dodged the attacks before delivering a bone-crushing kick to the Infected's chest. The kick left a gaping hole in its chest and sent the Infected flying backwards, slamming into the wall. However, the creature seemed undeterred and it raced back towards him with all the speed it could muster.

Siren's eye narrowed and he allowed his hands to transform into Claws. However, he noticed an immediate difference. His tentacles were more spread out, and an eerie red light shone from the gaps between his tentacles. He didn't have time to observe his Claws because the Infected was already swinging its own at him. He caught the Infected's right Claw with his left, and tried to grab the creature's head with his right Claw. However, something grabbed his leg. He looked down, only to see the twisted face of yet another Infected as it reached out with its one good arm.

He kicked it with his free leg, ripping the head clean from the shoulders. He looked back toward the Infected he was grappling with and head butted it with all his strength. As the creature fell backwards, he jumped up, slamming both feet into the Infected's chest. Red and black tentacles exploded from his body, consuming the Infected within seconds.

Before he could even comprehend what was going on, something grabbed him from behind, and he felt something bite down on his neck. The mouth holding his neck thrashed about, attempting to rip the flesh apart. Siren grunted and jumped backwards, slamming both him and the thing on his back into the wall. The Infected relinquished its grip on him and he jumped away from it to get a better view.

To his shock, three of the corpses on the floor were standing up. They all closely resembled the Infected he was accustomed to, those being the ones he fought in New York. His eyes widened as the Infected began changing. One grew a pair of Claws, one grew a Whipfist, and a third grew a fucking Blade.

Siren stepped back as the Infected stepped forward in complete unison. However, instead of attacking, they gathered around him, gazing at him as though they were waiting for something.

He blinked.

The Infected that had grabbed his back had begun dislodging itself from the wall. As soon as it was free, it charged at him like the first Infected had done. However, like the others, it stopped before it reached him and simply…stared.

Siren eyed the Infected as they stood still. Never before had this happened to him, and he never witnessed it firsthand so he couldn't understand why the Infected suddenly stopped attacking him.

He tried taking a step toward the door. He noticed that each of the four Infected standing in the room watched him with their dead eyes. He took a few more steps toward the door, but the Infected began following. The moment he stopped moving, so did they.

He decided to try something crazy, hoping that maybe he could make some sense of what was going on. He held up his left hand, hoping to—

His hand was glowing.

The same red mist that was coming from the first Infected now rose off his hand like steam. He looked toward his other hand, then his legs and feet. Sure enough, red mist was coming off of him like steam from a pot of boiling water.

He blinked. Was this happening because of the first Infected? He had consumed that Infected, so perhaps this was a result of that. But even if it was, what was so special about that Infected?

He held his hand up as he backed away. This time, the Infected didn't follow him. He decided to try something else. He pointed to the Infected that had bitten his shoulder and _willed _the other Infected to attack. Sure enough, the remaining Infected pounced on the one Siren had singled out. Red and black tentacles sprung from the bodies of the Infected as they devoured the one they were told to attack. Siren watched with sick fascination as the Infected consumed the one he had pointed at.

He couldn't stop a grin from appearing on his face. He waved his hand to the side as if he was dismissing something.

"Enough," he commanded.

The Infected jumped away from their meal; which was now half a corpse. Siren walked forward, the Infected looking toward him, _waiting _for him. He looked at the group with a frown. Sure, it was incredible that he could control them, but they were still Infected. If they were left unchecked, they might spread the virus throughout the city. Just because he could control these few didn't mean he could control any and all Infected.

He decided to issue one final command to the small group of Infected. He spread his hands out as if expecting a hug and uttered a single word;

"Submit."

Immediately, the Infected began _unwinding _in masses of tentacles. Red and black tentacles shot toward Siren, wrapping around him. It was as though he was consuming the Infected, but this time, they were willingly coming to him.

He grunted as the last of the Infected unwound and the last of the tentacles disappeared into his body. All the Infected in the room were now gone; save for the corpse of the one he had ordered the attack on. Or rather, _half _its corpse.

Siren decided it would be best to get rid of that half, just in case somebody found it and became an Infected themselves. He walked toward the corpse but stopped as he noticed movement.

There, on the corpse, red and black tentacles were working to rebuild the body. Siren's eyes widened. This Infected was healing itself from an injury that was supposed to kill it. In a sense, it was mimicking _him_. He rushed forward, stomping on the body before it could heal and consumed it to make sure it was truly dead.

As he consumed the Infected, he realized he had time to try and figure out what the fuck just happened. It wasn't as though he was unsatisfied with his new found ability, far from it. The problem was that he didn't know where these Infected came from.

They were just humans until he had killed them during his…'blackout'.

_Wait, did I infect them? _

Siren sat on the floor as the thought became more realistic. He was the only to touch these people before they turned, so it was only logical to assume that _he _had been the one to infect them.

_If it was me, then, what if they weren't the only ones? What if I infected more people?_

Siren felt a small amount of panic building up within him, but he quickly suppressed the feeling. The video he saw on the camera was taken a few minutes ago. It was simply too close, in terms of time, to when he blacked out. It seemed as though after he blacked out, his body simply kept going, chasing after the gang members and cornering them here. That meant that he hadn't actually gone outside. But that still left the question; what caused him to black out?

***Page Break***

Kazari Rika smiled as she watched her younger sister play with their mother. Her smile widened as her sister squealed and began laughing as their mother tickled her. It was times like these that Rika treasured the most. For seven years, she and her family had been living with her father in his home country of America. But recently, they had to move back to Japan due to…complications.

Rika felt an overwhelming sadness take hold of her as she thought of her father. She looked toward a picture that hung over the couch she sat on. The picture depicted a young man with brown hair, light skin, and green eyes smiling into the camera. His perfect teeth and genuine smile made the picture all the more painful to look at.

Rika felt a tear rolling down her cheek as she looked at her father. It wasn't that long ago that she was hugging him, asking when he'll return from his mission.

"Soon baby…soon," he had told her.

"But why do you have to go? Why can't you stay with us?"

"I'm sorry baby, but I have to go. I can't just skip out. My job is very important."

"But isn't your family more important that some shady military group?"

"Rika, you know I love my family. That's why I even bother working with those people. They pay me, and that means I can support you all. I'd rather deal with a demanding job than watch my family starve."

It was the last conversation they ever had. It was the last time she felt her father's arms around her. It was the last time she saw her parents kiss.

"Rika? Are you ok?"

Rika jerked up at the sound of her mother's voice. Her sister was already walking toward her room, preparing to go to sleep for the night. "Yeah…yeah, I'm fine…just…just thinking about Dad."

Rika's mother gave her a sad smile. Her warm brown eyes and long black hair were beautiful, but the look of pain on her face overshadowed her beauty.

"He's in a better place now. He—"

"He wouldn't have died if it weren't for his job. He never would have been…"

"Rika, that's enough. Don't talk about his job like that. Your father died protecting America."

"The people he worked for were monsters! The whole lot of them; monsters!"

"Kazari Rika! Do NOT talk about them like that! Some of those 'monsters' were your father's best friends!"

"Yeah well in case you forgot, they used me like a…like a _test subject _for their insane experiments!"

"Rika, they saved your life! If it hadn't been for the injection you would have—"

"It was the same crap they injected into their experimental soldiers! How can you not see what they were trying to do?! They were trying to use me as a weapon against Al—"

"Don't you _dare_ mention that monster's name in this house young lady! I do not want to hear about this anymore!"

Her mother stood up and began walking away. Rika's fists clenched in fury. How could her mother be so passive about this?!

Her father was a good man. He was a noble man. The people he worked with; they didn't _deserve_ somebody like him. Blackwatch didn't deserve to have a man like her father among their ranks. However, her father needed money and the only way he could get it was by joining Blackwatch. Now…now he was dead, all because Blackwatch had to fight that _virus_ back in New York.

She hated the world.

She hated Blackwatch for making her father go out and fight the horrors produced by the virus.

But most of all, she hated _Alex Mercer_; the man who released the virus, the man who was truly to blame for her father's death.

"One day, Mercer. One day I _will _bring you to your knees. And when you beg for mercy, I'll cut you down like the dog that you are," she snarled.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Siren's Appearance: Siren's powers will now look like the ones from Prototype 2. Why? You'll find out later on!**

** Slow Chapter?: This chapter wasn't meant to be an action-packed death battle. It was meant to serve as a sort of intro to the next arc/saga/stage/whatever it's called.**

** Mikoro Explaining to Mikoto: I had Mikoro do the explanations because, as you say, Siren was busy coping with finding out he has a sister.**

** Siren Controlling the Infected: Many of you might be having a reaction similar to "What. The. Fuck?" Don't worry, it will be explained why Siren could control the Infected later on.**

** The Infected: Why did these Infected possess shape shifting abilities? You'll have to read on to find out!**

** Kazari Rika: Yes, she's still a part of the story. Her contribution to the story will be seen later on.**

** Rika's Father: The FULL story behind his death will be explained later on.**


	13. Chapter 13

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN [PROTOTYPE], PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!

**FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED: Today's Explanations/Clarifications section provides a little insight on where this fic is NOT headed (relationship-wise). This is there because I don't want people to expect that which might not be coming. You don't have to read it, but it's there for those that are interested.**

** Also, this chapter will be another 'calm' one. Sorry, the new arc is still kicking off.**

**A Final Note: Before we start this chapter, I'd like to apologize in advance for any spelling mistakes; my Microsoft Word is being weird and is having trouble detecting spelling mistakes. I do look through my own chapters, but I'm only human; I'm bound to make some spelling mistakes :P**

**Chapter 13**

**A Talk To Remember**

Siren slowly entered Mikoro's apartment, locking the door behind him, as had become his habit.

Mikoro's head had snapped up from her book the moment Siren walked in, but now she was giving him a slightly annoyed glare. "You know," she began. "Mikoto was just here. She was going to talk to you—what the heck?! Siren, what on Earth happened to you?!"

Siren blinked. "What? What are you talking about?"

Mikoro pointed a finger toward her mirror. "Look in the mirror," she said, never taking her eyes off him.

With a frown, Siren walked toward the mirror. As soon as he saw himself, he understood what Mikoro was talking about. For one, his shoulders were noticeably broader. The change wasn't _that_ big, but it was still visible. On top of that, with his hood pulled back, he could see that the skin surrounding his eyes had darkened considerably. It looked as though somebody had splashed black paint over his eyes. Even his eyelids had become nearly pitch black.

"Did somebody give you a black, err, _two_ black eyes?"

Siren slowly shook his head as he continued looking in the mirror.

_That…blackout. All that pain, all those writhing tentacles; they must have caused some more physical changes…again. First, my eyes change color, now, I've got these black circles and I have a slightly different body build. Not to mention I can now create those unique Infected and I can control them. What's happening to me?_

"Then…what happened?" Mikoro asked from behind him. Siren sighed. Explaining to Mikoro what had just transpired in that building with the gang members was going to be…quite the experience.

***Page Break***

Kazari Rika slowly made her way along the sidewalk. The sun had already set and the city was bathed in color from the various lights scattered throughout it. She looked down at her watch; 8:48.

She continued at her slow pace, her keen senses picking up on what was transpiring around her.

"Did you hear about that new movie?" asked a voice to her right.

"And then he said, the cat took it!" a pair of girls burst out laughing towards Rika's left.

"I don't understand how somebody can eat _that _many…" a small group of people conversed about food in front of her.

"Did you see the news? You know, about that stone giant thing?"

Rika rolled her eyes at that one. People seemed so easily awed by the sight of something abnormally large. After living in New York for so long, she was used to seeing things that most people would find completely unbelievable. It was partially why she never bothered watching the local news, even when people were talking about a giant stone monster thing.

_I could have easily taken some stone giant down if I wanted to. If I wasn't visiting Grandma and Grandpa, I could have stepped in…_

In fact, the only time Rika watched the news was when they had reported on the recent decline in gang activity and the whatnot. At first, Rika had been concerned that her late night 'trips' had been discovered. However, when the news reporter talked about gangs that went missing from areas that she had never been to, Rika figured that the recent declines had to be attributed to more than just her.

For a while now, Rika had been going out at night and using her powers for the greater good. She may have been bitter over the death of her father, but she figured she could take out her anger on anybody stupid enough to turn to crime and resorted to stealing and harming innocent people.

Until recently, Rika couldn't tell if there was anybody else who took down the criminals that dotted the streets. She had no proof and no real reason to care. It was sheer luck that the reporters mentioned the decline in gang activity and talked about the various locations that had seen the largest decreases when she had bothered watching the news.

Now, she was convinced that there was more to the decline than just her. However, she couldn't care less about that. Her attention was focused on two main things; protect her family, and murder the man who killed her father. Rika wanted nothing more than to track down Mercer and obliterate him, but she simply lacked the means to find him. She had only ever seen one picture of him; a shot of his face. He had his hood on in that picture and she only say a portion of his face along with his eerie blue eyes.

She could never forget those eyes; the eyes of a monster who held no regard for human life. She doubted that any living man possessed such eyes, so she knew that the day she saw those eyes again would be the day she found Alex Mercer.

In the past, she thought about searching for him in New York, but that quickly became impossible. When she was forced to move to Japan with her mother and sister, she lost all access to that city. In fact, their move to Japan was kept secret from Blackwatch; they wouldn't have taken kindly to seeing one of their _experiments_ getting on a plane and taking off without them. If she returned to the U.S.A, she might put her family at risk. She knew that if Blackwatch needed leverage against her, they wouldn't think twice about attacking her family.

She frowned in frustration. Why was it that she was forced to deal with such annoying circumstances?

"Such misfortune," she muttered.

***Page Break***

"SUCH MISFORTUNE!"

Touma vaulted over his table as Index attempted to pounce on him once more. "I'm sorry! I didn't think you were in there!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"You're supposed to _knock_ before walking into a bathroom, Touma!" Index yelled at him as she chased after him.

"What stopped you from locking the door, you know, LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!?"

Index didn't reply, and Touma decided that now would be a good time to exit the building. With surprising speed, Touma rushed outside, slamming the door behind him. However, that did little to slow Index as she rushed out after him. Touma yelped as Index's jaws came dangerously close to his head. He literally heard the sound of her jaws clamping shut as she narrowly missed him.

_CRAP! How is it my fault that I saw her half-naked when SHE was the one that didn't lock the door!?_

His thoughts were interrupted as he slammed into something. He fell backwards after the fall with a grunt, only to see Index fly over him and slam into something as well. Judging by how hard the thing he slammed into felt, Touma figured he had run into a brick wall of sorts. However, as he looked up, he noticed a dark figure looming over him. His eyes widened, and his initial reaction was to get between Index and the unknown figure as fast as possible. However, he froze as he noticed the glowing blue eyes that stared down at him. They eyes that looked at him were filled with a cold fury and he could already see massive claws protruding from the figure's finger tips.

Only one person fit that kind of description.

"H-hey Siren," he said, attempting to sound cheerful despite his obvious unease. "Nice evening we're having…"

Siren's eye shifted to Index before he looked back to Touma. Touma gulped as Siren's furious gaze was directed back towards him. He knew that his Imagine Breaker wouldn't defend him from Siren, and right now, Siren looked _mad_.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" he growled. Touma winced as he watched the massive blade-like claws retract into Siren's hands.

"I was half a second away from ripping your intestines out through your mouth. Do you know how hard it would have been to explain to the others why I accidentally killed you? Is there a reason you two are running around like you just saw a Hunter on your doorstep?"

"Uh, we, uh…"

"TOUMA SAW ME NAK—"

Index's shout was cut off as Touma clamped a hand over her mouth. He desperately tried to hold her mouth shut as he looked toward Siren with a forced smile. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious."

"If it's nothing serious then you two shouldn't running around like fucking lunatics. Next time, I might not recognize you and end up killing you."

"Don't worry, you won't see it happening anymore," Touma assured him.

_Geez, this guy makes Biri-Biri look like a kitten by comparison!_

Siren's gaze turned toward the city. With his hood pulled up and the moon partially obscured by clouds, Touma couldn't make out the details of Siren's face; save for his unnatural eyes. However, as Siren crossed his arms and leaned on the railing, Touma could tell that something was…off, especially when Siren let out a heavy sigh.

"Is everything alright?" Touma asked while standing up, while Index hopped to her feet.

Siren shrugged. "Just…just confused."

Touma blinked. "About what? The whole me crashing into you thing?"

Siren groaned. "No, genius, of course I'm not confused about you crashing into me. It's…it's complicated."

Touma leaned on the railing next to Siren. "Anything I can do to help?"

Siren turned toward Touma, and as he did, Touma noticed that he seemed…larger. He was about to ask why Siren looked bigger than before, but he froze as Siren pulled back his hood.

Even with the low levels of light, Touma could see that Siren's face had changed slightly. He heard Index inhale sharply from behind him, but he paid her little mind.

"What happened to you?"

"I…I think I'm evolving…"

***Page Break***

Touma stared at him with a confused expression. "I'm sorry; what?"

Siren sighed. Of course a human wouldn't be able to comprehend Siren's ability to rapidly evolve and mutate.

"I believe that I am biologically progressing. I'm _evolving_. You do know what that means, right?"

Touma nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I know what it means but…what do you mean, _you're _evolving? You've changed a little, sure, but I don't think that qualifies as _evolving._"

Siren rolled his eyes. "Most of the changes aren't visible until I began using my powers."

_Like being able to control those Infected. The fact that I could actually create Infected as evolved as those is significant enough on its own. On top of that, my powers look different. That weird red light wasn't there before…_

Touma shook his head. "I'm sorry; it's just…hard to wrap my head around it. You often seem so…human; it's easy to forget that you're an ever-evolving virus."

"Don't call me _human_," Siren growled. "I'm nothing like your kind. I seem human because I make a mild attempt to act like less of a monster around people like you and Mikoro."

Touma winced at that.

"So…you were saying something about you evolving?" Index asked from behind Touma.

Siren nodded. "I just got done explaining to Mikoro my thoughts on these changes, even though she doesn't really agree with me."

Touma frowned. "Ant what exactly are your thoughts on your…evolution?"

"I think I should make no attempt to stop it. These changes might be small on the outside, but they might lead to something big. I believe that I'm changing for a reason. If that's the case, I should allow myself to change; for all I know, I might gain abilities that would help me stop REDLIGHT and whatever offshoots of BLACKLIGHT that still exist on Earth."

Touma nodded. "And what are Mikoro's thoughts on this?"

Siren looked back towards the city. "Mikoro thinks I should use my polymorphic abilities to revert back to my previous state and permanently halt my biological progression to avoid mutating into some sort of abomination."

Touma blinked. "What."

Siren looked at the boy in front of him as though he were an idiot. "Mikoro thinks I should use my shape shifting powers to change back to the way I was before and stay that way. She's scared that I might turn into some sort of monster, but no amount of evolution can make me more of a monster than I already am."

"Oooohhhh," said both Touma and Index.

"And you think that you should allow yourself to change, right?" Index asked. Siren nodded. After all, what was the point of halting evolution? Especially when it might make him more powerful…

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of somebody laughing. He turned toward the owner of the voice and frowned as he noticed Touma chuckling slightly.

"Is something amusing you?" Siren growled.

"I—I'm sorry; it's just that, I find it funny that you can so easily call yourself a monster despite the obvious evidence against it."

Siren cocked his head in confusion. "Excuse me?"

Touma looked to him with a small smile on his face. "Can a monster befriend a girl like you've befriended Mikoro?"

Siren frowned. "I made no attempt to become Mikoro's friend. She was the one who tried to befriend me when we met."

"Even so," Touma began. "A monster wouldn't have bothered staying with her like you have. Besides, Mikoro told me about how you saved her from that lunatic; Craig."

"Tch, I would have killed that loud-mouthed waste of flesh even if he hadn't taken Mikoro captive."

Touma shrugged. "Even so, the fact that you and Mikoro get along so well and the fact that you genuinely care for her is proof that you're not a monster."

Siren raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I 'genuinely care for her'?"

Touma laughed at his words, which caused him to frown in confusion and slight frustration.

"Oh come on, if anything, you seem to look at her like a younger sister," Touma said giving Siren a small nudge with his elbow. Siren said nothing, opting to look out towards the city. Beside him, Touma smiled.

"You're lucky, you know. Mikoro is a great person, one who you can trust. She's very dedicated to keeping you alive, believe it or not," Touma continued.

_Would it be wise to tell them that viruses aren't technically considered alive?_

"Besides, many people out there never find somebody who truly cares for them," Index said.

Touma gave Siren another nudge. "It's nothing to be ashamed of; caring for Mikoro I mean. In fact, it's something to be proud of. Since you have Mikoro, you have something to protect. Your power is _worth_ something. Using power for the sole purpose of mass destruction is a waste, but using it to protect those you care about; that's what tells the world that you're not just strong, you're truly _mighty_. The man who fights to protect will always be stronger than the man who fights only to destroy without reason."

"Has it not dawned on you that I fight to destroy? I'm fighting to destroy the viruses, I fight to destroy Blackwatch, and I fight to destroy Gentek. Do you not see the pattern?"

Touma shook his head. "You're fighting to destroy great evils. You're not fighting to destroy the innocent. There's a difference."

Siren frowned. "Innocent people have died because of me before."

Touma sighed. "I'm not saying you're perfect, and I can't say I support the fact that you've killed innocents before, but everybody deserves a second chance. Everybody should have a chance at redemption, including you."

"Redemption? Touma, I was created for the sole purpose of annihilating the enemies of my creators. Killing is what I was meant for. If anything, I'm just refusing to act like a walking apocalypse for Blackwatch and Gentek. Don't get me wrong, I still am I walking apocalypse, just not _Blackwatch's_ walking apocalypse."

Touma frowned. "Siren, you say you despise Gentek and Blackwatch, right?"

Siren nodded.

"Then why do you do what they intended you to do? If they wanted you to kill, why would you do so? Why not strive to be the exact opposite of what they—"

"Because I have nothing else to be. Every single ability I posses is geared toward efficient killing. I simply direct all that power towards those that deserve it. If you are bothered by your bad luck, why do you try to help people who need it? It only serves to cause you more trouble."

Touma shrugged. "You got me there. But listen, the only one that can convince you that you're a monster is _you_. Likewise, the only one that can truly convince you that you're _not _a monster, is _you_. Stop believing that you're a monster and you'll see that you're not."

Siren let out a short chuckle. "That's not how it works, Touma. If you stopped believing that you're human, it wouldn't make a difference; you'll still be human. No matter how much you might want to change it, you can't simply stop being human of your own will like that."

"I don't think the word 'monster' refers to one's species or anything like that," Index said while looking up to him. "When you call somebody a monster, it's usually because of their actions. You can easily take paths that aren't nearly as violent or destructive as the path you've set for yourself. Being a monster isn't about what you are as a species, it's about what you _do_. What you've been doing is looking out for Mikoro. What part of that makes you a monster?"

_The part where I've been going out and killing various criminals almost every night._

"Even if you killed somebody like Craig, or any evil person, you're doing it for the greater good. Nobody calls a police officer a monster when he kills a terrorist or somebody like that. While I don't support killing people, you're not killing innocents; you're killing people that might take away the life of an innocent person."

Siren shook his head.

_I have heard enough naïve ideas for one evening. They won't understand any of this until they've been in the shoes of the 'monster'. But then again, I don't expect them to understand. Few humans can say they are as twisted as BLACKLIGHT…as twisted as I am._

"Well, I think that's enough for one evening. Come on, Index, time to head home."

With a yawn, Index began following Touma toward their apartment. Siren watched them leave before returning his attention toward the city. He was still confused about many things, and this led him into a deep train of thought.

It also caused him to fail to notice Mikoro standing in her doorway, watching him with a small smile; one that held no malice, nothing of the sort. No…no, it was a smile of happiness; a happiness that a certain sapient virus didn't yet understand.

***Page Break***

Rika watched with an annoyed expression as a small group of people slowly unloaded boxes from a decent-sized truck. The boxes, from what she could see, were filled with weaponry. The people unloading them, again, as far as she could see, were criminals. The ski masks were a dead giveaway.

_Speaking of ski masks…_

Rika slowly pulled a white ski mask over her head; she didn't want anybody recognizing her, and it would be hard to stay low if these morons decided to explain to the cops what she looked like. That is, if she decided to leave them with their jaws in working condition…

Rika slowly stepped out of the shadows, making her way toward the group. She wore her trademark black jacket and pants, with a black hood covering her head.

"Hello boys," she purred, attempting to sound intimidating.

Immediately, the group of a dozen or so people looked toward her.

"You blind? Or can you not tell the difference between a man and a woman?"

Rika blinked. Looking around, she noticed that the group consisted mostly of women. She mentally face palmed.

_I need to work on my opening lines._

"So, who are you supposed to be? Little miss—oof!"

The woman's question was cut off as Rika delivered a bone-crushing kick to her stomach. She might not be that great at heroic quotes or anything of the sort, but she could definitely fight.

It took a second for the rest of the group to realize that Rika meant business, but as soon as they did, they began grabbing various weapons and launching projectiles at her.

She dodged them with unmatched grace, though she probably would have survived if she was shot. Her healing factor would have kept her alive, but she preferred to keep her clothing intact.

One of the few men in the group launched a small beam of white energy at her. Rika bent backwards and allowed the beam to travel right over her face, before she jumped back up and leapt towards the esper who had launched the energy at her. As soon as she landed by him, she grabbed his feet and swung him towards one of his comrades.

Instead of letting go, she used the esper like a human club, swatting away anybody within reach. She managed to hit four people before throwing the esper at another one of the gang members.

"Say," she began as she jumped back. "You guys are part of some gang thing, right? What's the name of your gang?"

"Why should we tell you?" spat one of the women.

"Well, I want to know who it is I defeat," Rika replied with a smug expression; one the others failed to notice due to her white mask.

"What makes you so sure you've defeated us? We're only just beginning!"

Rika rolled her eyes. "Oh, and what might you have in store for me today, grandma?"

"A couple hundred pounds of steel, bitch," said a metallic voice from behind her. Rika whirled around to see a man covered in black armor with red padding on the elbows, knees, and around the neck area. The suit didn't cover his head, so she clearly saw what he looked like. However, every other part of him was encased in the black armor. He had long black hair that was combed backwards, brown eyes, a beard, and a nose that looked as though it had been broken several times and never healed.

Rika's green eyes narrowed. "Nice suit. Where'd you get it from? The flea market?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "No. Where'd you get_ your _clothes? The dollar store?"

"Hey! I'll have you know that this was an expensive jacket!"

"Uh-huh, how much did it cost ya? Let me guess, _two_ dollars?"

Rika growled. If there was one thing she hated, besides Mercer, it was having her clothes insulted by some back-alley pigs like these guys. She slowly entered a combat stance, holding her hands out in front of her.

The man in the black and red armor didn't even bother entering a combat stance; he simply charged at her. She could tell his movement was aided by the armor because he moved far faster than a normal human should have been able to do.

As he neared her, he threw a clumsy punch toward her head, which she dodged with ease.

He might have had a powerful suit of armor aiding him, but he lacked the ability to make good use of it in a fight.

With a smirk, she slammed her elbow into his chest, causing him to stumble back. He looked down, noticing the large dent in his armor, and his eyes widened. He looked back towards her before speaking.

"That's impossible…you shouldn't be able to do that!"

Rika shrugged. "I do a lot of pushups and sit ups, oh, and I drink plenty of juice," she said with a smug grin.

"Fuck you," he snarled. The man dashed forward, his right hand extended towards her. As soon as his hand neared her face, she caught it with little effort. She grinned beneath her mask as she looked upon the shocked face of the man before her. It always pleased her to see scum like him put in their place.

She pulled her right leg back before kicking him in the chest with all her strength. Mind you, that's a lot of strength. The kick shattered his chest plate and sent him flying backwards, screaming as he felt his bones break.

Rika turned back towards the rest of the group as they watched in awe and fear. She smiled to herself. Blackwatch might have intended to use her as their personal weapon, but here she was, using her amazing powers to help eliminate the threat posed by gangs and other criminals. Even if somebody lacked powers, they could still cause harm through other means. But, they'd have her to deal with if they decided to travel down that path.

She cracked her knuckles as she made her way toward the remaining gang members, who, at the moment, were scrambling to get away from her.

***Page Break***

Mikoro slowly opened her eyes. The morning sun cast rays of golden light on her face through her window and the sound of birds singing their morning song filled her ears. With a yawn, she hauled herself up.

She looked toward the digital clock that sat by her bed; it read 7:34. Scratching the back of her head, she slowly rolled out of bed, and grabbed her robe, wrapping it around herself. She yawned once more as she opened the door that lead to the hallway and walked out, slowly walking toward her kitchen.

She noticed Siren lying on her couch, staring off at the ceiling. He had a pair of ear buds plugged into his phone and appeared to be listening to music. She smiled at him as he looked over to her.

"Nice hair," he commented, before going back to listening. Mikoro blinked taking a few steps back and looking into her bathroom mirror.

"Ach!"

Her hair looked as though a miniature tornado had come through. She quickly went to work brushing it into its normal position, a task that took quite some time. When she finally looked presentable, she walked out of her bathroom and once more, walked to her kitchen, her stomach growling.

She opened her fridge, looking for something quick and easy to make. She could cook just fine, but she wanted something that she could eat fast, rather than take the time to prepare it.

"It isn't wise to keep the fridge open for so long," said a voice from behind her after a few minutes. Mikoro jumped and whirled around, finding Siren calmly sitting on her counter.

"Geez Siren! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

He scowled. "Sorry."

Mikoro sighed and went back to looking through her fridge. She finally picked out half-eaten burger that had been sitting behind a gallon of milk. As soon as she put it into her microwave, she sat down next to Siren.

"How's the whole…evolution thing going?" she asked.

Siren looked over to her. "Nowhere at the moment. Haven't changed in any way since yesterday."

Mikoro slowly nodded. "That's...good."

Siren cocked his head at her. "Good? Why is it good?"

Mikoro looked back to him. "Well, it's just that…I don't want to see you mutate into some horrible monstrosity," she confessed. "This evolution stuff, it worries me. I don't know what you'll change into, and neither do you."

"Mikoro, the only thing about me that sets me apart from humanity's worst nightmare is my appearance. Everything else about me; my nature, my mindset, my actions, they all point to me being a monster. I can't mutate into a monster because I already _am_ a monster. If I mutate into some horrible-_looking_ thing, then I can just change back."

"Siren, how many times do I have to tell you? You're _not _a monster!"

Siren rolled his eyes. "Mikoro, just drop it. No amount of denial will change the facts. I appreciate you trying to convince me otherwise, but I know what I am."

Mikoro looked at him with a defiant expression, before sighing. "There's just no convincing you, is there?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"You can't convince me to believe something that obviously isn't true. Imagine if I started telling you that you're not a human. You wouldn't believe me no matter what I said. It's the same thing when you tell me I'm not a monster."

Mikoro shook her head before standing up and retrieving her hamburger from the microwave. "You want a bite?" she asked him. He shook his head in response. Mikoro merely shrugged and began eating her burger. As she did so, she looked over to Siren. She could tell how confused and conflicted he was just by looking at him, and she hated seeing him like this. She thought that he simply deserved more. He deserved a real life, not what he has now. He should be allowed to live his life without the constant threat of Blackwatch coming to him. He shouldn't have to deal with the viruses; they were _Blackwatch's _creation after all. They should be the ones cleaning up their mess, not Siren.

Despite her timid nature, she _hated _Blackwatch for the way they treated her friend. Maybe one day, she could expose those monsters to the world, and save her friend from their torment.

***Page Break***

"We're leaving," said a figure as he walked through a set of double doors.

"FUCKING FINALLY!"

"Are you serious?! We're _finally_ going?"

"Yes. The boss ordered us to move out."

One of the Evolved that sat in the room pumped his fist in excitement. "Alright! I finally get a crack at Mercer! We finally get to bring that bastard in!"

"Remember, don't kill him. The boss wants him _alive_."

"That doesn't mean we can't beat the ever-living shit out of him!"

"I don't care. The point is, we need to bring him in while he's still _alive_. If the boss can't convince him to join us, well, we simply take what Mercer has and kill him. Simple as that."

"I'm kinda glad Craig failed to bring Mercer in. That means _we _get a crack at him."

"Yeah, but that also means that if we fail, the Supreme Regurgitator's boss will murder us."

"He's your boss too, you know," replied the Supreme Regurgitator.

"Yeah? Then how come we've never met him? Huh?"

"Because I'm the least likely to get consumed and have my memories stolen. You answer to me, and _I _answer to the boss. Simple as that. If you get consumed, my identity will be revealed to whoever consumed you. But that means whoever knows about me still has to consume _me_ to learn the boss's identity. And like I said, the chances of me getting consumed are slim. There is a reason I hold the title of the second strongest among the Infected. The only one who surpasses me is the boss himself."

"Who is apparently SO important that you can't even tell us his name," one of the Evolved said with a grin.

"You'll meet him once we bring Mercer to him. In the mean time, get ready. We're leaving soon."

Every Evolved in the room grinned at the Supreme Regurgitator's words.

"To Academy City we go then!" cried one of the Evolved.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Supreme Regurgitator: Prepare for the onslaught…**

** What's Coming?: Disaster…**

** Siren's Evolution: The reason for it and what it's going to cause will all be revealed later on in the story. **

** Why the Constant Change?: I feel as though, since he's not human, Siren's evolution should cause some minor/major changes in his physical appearance. I mean, if you think about it, he's basically a giant mass of viral biomass. He only **_**looks**_** human. It can be reasoned that evolving might bring out his more inhumane characteristics to the surface. Also, yes, you will understand why such things are happening to him. And ****NO****, he's ****NOT**** going to transform into some kind of anime-style, fireball slinging, vampire who contracted lycanthropy and can turn into a dragon. His physical changes will stay within the boundaries set by [Prototype] and Prototype 2.**

**Everybody Hates Blackwatch: In all fairness, Blackwatch kinda deserves it…Seriously, if you haven't played either of the Prototype games, they are a pretty twisted group.**

** Rika's Powers: Her abilities and their origin will be revealed later on.**

** Siren's Attitude Towards Friends/Enemies: Ok, I'd like to clarify this now. This fic portrays Siren as somebody who can be (somewhat) gentle with those he considers a friend, but brutal and merciless towards his enemies. If you look at Alex Mercer and James Heller, they were both gentle with those they loved, but brutal with their enemies (Alex loved his sister, James loved his daughter).**

** Siren and Mikoro: NO, this WILL NOT become a touchy-feely fic. There will be some moments between Siren and Mikoro, but this is not meant to be a romance story. One of the reasons there are moments that have Mikoro being affectionate is to take a break from the dark nature of the story. Besides, the way Mikoro views Siren and the way he views her drastically differ from each other (Siren views Mikoro as a little sister and Mikoro…well…you'll see). **


	14. Chapter 14

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN [PROTOTYPE], PROTOTYPE 2, A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX, A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY!

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: The next chapter will be delayed because I'm going on vacation. I don't know by how much it will be delayed, but I know that the delay will be there.**

**ALSO; to the Guest reader who asked if Siren will turn into a zombie; no. **

**Chapter 14**

**Invasion **

"Come on, please, pleads Misaka Misaka!"

"No, damn it! Get lost, brat!"

"But Misaka Misaka wants to go out today! It's been ages since we did anything fun, cries Misaka Misaka as she holds on to your leg!"

"WHAT PART OF NO WAS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?!"

"Pllleeeeaaaasssseeee?"

"IT'S HALF PAST 7 PM, DAMN IT!"

"Plllleeeaaassssseeee?"

"YOMIKAWA! GET THIS BRAT OFF ME!"

"Can't," was the short reply.

"SCREW YOU, YOMIKAWA!"

"Damn it, Accelerator. Just take the kid out for some fun."

"Yeah Accelerator, cries Misaka Misaka! Take the ki—Misaka is not a kid, cries Misaka Misaka in anger as she realizes what you said!"

Accelerator's palm met his face as he sighed in defeat. "I hate you, I hate you both."

Last Order grinned at him from her position on his left leg. She relinquished her grip and jumped to the floor, the smug grin never leaving her face.

"Misaka knew you would comply, says Misaka Misaka as she puts her hands on her hips."

"One of these days," muttered Accelerator. "One of these days this kid is going to drive me to insanity and beyond."

Well, to be fair, he _was_ already pretty insane.

With a heavy sigh, Accelerator turned to face Last Order. "Where do you want to go?" he asked in a defeated tone.

***Page Break***

Siren sprinted up the side of the building as though it was a normal sidewalk. He made no attempt to be quit or sneaky as he ran, preferring to face his enemies with a pair of deadly Claws, rather than try to pick them off one by one. As he neared the top of the enormous building, he smashed through a window and rolled into a room that contained a rather terrified couple.

Sadly, said couple was in the middle of…something intimate, and responded negatively to his presence, which was the reaction Siren expected, regardless of the residents' activities.

"YA FUCKING FREAK! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOIN—?!"

The man was interrupted as Siren threw a punch towards the man's jaw. The punch wasn't hard enough to kill the man, but it was enough to knock him unconscious. Just as he did so, the woman next to him opened her mouth to scream, but before she could, Siren grabbed her, his hand covering her mouth and nose, and lifted her off the floor. He held her like that until the woman finally passed out from the lack of oxygen.

As soon as she did so, Siren dropped her to the ground and headed for the door that led into the hallway. The lock seemed to be jammed, so Siren decided to fix it by promptly ripping the door from its hinges and throwing it out into the hallway. As soon as it was out of his way, he sprinted towards the nearest stairs.

As soon as he made it to the stairs, he began running up towards the floor that was right below the roof. He had been on a nightly patrol of the city and had found out that a few crime bosses would be meeting in this building. Why they chose a building filled with people, he didn't know.

It wasn't long before he saw the door that led to the floor that he was trying to get to. In this situation, most people would have attempted to be stealthy and sneak into the meeting undetected. However, Siren was not one of those people. He quickly decided that the best course of action would be to rip through the door and break a few spines. So, the silver-haired teen's arms transformed into a pair of massive Claws, and he ripped through the door with ease.

This floor was used for storage, and so, it only had a single room. As soon as Siren tore through the door, several heads turned to look at him.

There were currently a total of three crime bosses in the room; two men and a woman. Each of the crime bosses had two bodyguards with them, so that added up to six bodyguards plus the three bosses; nine people total.

Siren ran forward, his Claws outstretched. He had decided earlier on that he didn't want to drag this out, so he planned on killing the people here as fast as possible. The bodyguards quickly realized that their bosses were in danger, and pulled out various suppressed weapons. If they were shocked by Siren's Claws, they didn't show it.

Siren made no move to dodge the incoming bullets and simply allowed them to pass through him. His body immediately went to work repairing itself, allowing Siren to focus on the fight.

He swiped his Claws out in front of him, cutting the first of the bodyguards in two like he was nothing more than hot butter. As soon as he did so, Siren jumped forward, flipping over one of the crime bosses, landing directly behind her. He spun around, planting his right foot in the woman's back.

The kick would have been a painful one if it were anybody else doing the kicking, however, due to his superhuman strength, Siren's foot tore through the woman's back, ripping through her spine in an instant. Tentacles reached out from his leg and he quickly consumed the woman.

He didn't take the time to ponder any of the woman's memories; instead, he turned toward another bodyguard, grabbing him by the throat. He then turned around, swinging his arm over his head and smashed the bodyguard's head into the floor. His skull shattered from the impact, and Siren made use of the body by kicking it into another one of the guards.

Siren's eyes narrowed as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He turned around, noticing the one of the remaining crime bosses making a break for the door. Siren smirked as his right hand turned into his Whipfist.

He swung his arm forward, the tendrils extending. The blade-tipped end of the Whipfist embedded itself in the crime bosses back, and Siren yanked him back towards himself. He caught the man, and as soon as he did so, he jumped toward the final crime boss, his free hand extending toward him. The final standing crime boss had no time to react before he was grabbed by the back of the head by Siren's cold hand.

Siren brought his hand and his Whipfist together, smashing the two crime bosses together. The impact killed them instantly, and Siren quickly consumed the two. As soon as he did so, he turned towards the remaining guards. They were scrambling away from him, all the while emptying their clips as they fired at him.

Siren made a wide sweeping motion with right arm, his Whipfist extending. It cut through the torsos of all the guards, all except the one behind Siren. As soon as Siren heard the last guard, he jumped backwards, crushing the man against the wall with his own body weight.

Siren stepped forward, his upper back smeared in the guard's blood. He took a moment to look around the dark room, making sure that everyone was dead. He froze as he heard somebody gasp to his right.

His head slowly turned toward the window, noticing a figure standing in front of it.

_Oh great, so close to a perfect job._

The figure wore dark clothing along with a white ski mask that was covered by a black hood. Siren tried to remember if he ever met this person, but no one came to mind. Judging by their figure and size, Siren deduced that this was a female.

His eyes narrowed as the figure's fists clenched and her shoulders began trembling. He could just barely make out her green eyes through the ski mask, but he saw a look of pure rage and unrestrained fury.

"Mercer," he heard her whisper.

***Page Break***

The city lights illuminated the streets in various colors. People walked around with their children, their pets, and their friends. Dozens of couples roamed around, looking for something to do together. All in all, it was a beautiful night.

Accelerator sighed to himself as Last Order ran around him, asking him if he could buy her this or that or whatever. He turned to her, a look of annoyance on his face. She quickly saw that he didn't plan on buying her anything, and for a second, Accelerator thought for sure that Last Order would attempt to convince him to get her something anyways.

However, thankfully, she kept quit and went about looking at the various display windows on the stores that dotted the street. Accelerator rolled his eyes as he watched Last Order run around like a child. If she didn't want to be treated as a kid, she should stop acting as one.

With a shake of his head, Accelerator turned his head forward, but his look of annoyance was immediately replaced with one of suspicion. There was a hooded figure walking into the middle of the road, his hands in his pockets.

Accelerator frowned.

_Is that Esper?_

Accelerator watched as the figure's steps quickened as he walked toward the area with the most people. It was now that more and more people began noticing him. It seemed as though Accelerator wasn't the only one that had become suspicious of the hooded figure. The people began backing off, trying to put distance between them and the hooded figure.

Accelerator's eyes narrowed and he began stepping towards Last Order. When he was close enough, he grabbed her shoulder pulling her towards him.

"Accelerator! What are you doing, shouts Misaka Misaka!"

She quickly noticed Accelerator's grim expression and followed his gaze. Accelerator felt Last Order wrap her arms around his leg as she noticed the hooded figure.

"Hey, man, what are you doing here?"

Accelerator turned towards the speaker; a young, yet fairly large blonde man. The hooded figure on the other hand, made no move to look at the man. On the contrary, the hooded figure stopped all together.

It was then that Accelerator saw the red mist rising from the figure's body. People began backing off, shouting as they noticed the strange red mist. The amount of mist rising from his body increased and red tentacles began writhing around the figure's body.

Accelerator's eyes widened as the figure tucked in his arms before abruptly stretching them out. It was with that motion that a massive cloud of red mist exploded around the figure, flying out in all directions. Accelerator switched on his choker, activating his Reflection, and watched as the red mist engulfed everything in the area; everything except him, Last Order, and few other people who were lucky enough to be close to him.

***Page Break***

_Those eyes…_

They were the same eyes. The same cold, blue, merciless eyes that she saw in the picture of Alex Mercer.

_It's the same power…_

She could clearly see the strange black tentacles with the red light shining from between them from here. It was the same chain-like weapon that Alex Mercer had used against the helicopters back in New York, at least, that's what the Blackwatch soldiers described it as. The red light was new, but it was still the _same _weapon.

"Mercer," she breathed.

A moment passed before…

"MERCER!"

Rika shrieked as she lunged forward. Mercer must have been stunned by her presence because he made no move to stop her. That or he didn't have time to react. Rika pulled back her fist and threw it forward as soon as she neared Mercer.

The punch connected with his lower jaw, sending him flying backwards. Despite the strength of the punch, Mercer caught himself rather quickly, landing on all fours. He quickly got to his feet, his eyes narrowing as he locked eyes with her.

"Who are you?"

"Your executioner," Rika replied. She pointed an accusing finger at Mercer. "Your actions in New York have left countless people dead. You've left thousands without families, thousands without their friends, you've crippled innumerable people; you've committed more atrocities than I dare count. What you've done is…unforgivable. I'm one of the people you've hurt, and I'm here to collect the debt you owe."

Rika took another step forward. "It's time to pay for your crimes, Mercer."

All the while, Mercer was still standing in the same spot. "I don't know who you are or what specific actions you're talking about, but I know one thing; I'm gonna kill you."

"Not if I kill you first," Rika said, a dark smile touching her lips. She dashed forward, Mercer doing the same. His hands changed into what Rika knew were called Hammerfists, which she had heard some of the Blackwatch soldiers describing. He swung his right Hammerfist forward, missing her by inches as she jumped over him.

Rika swung her right leg at Mercer's back but he leapt to the side, avoiding her kick. He spun around, just in time to watch as Rika unleashed a vicious kick towards his face. Rika yelped as Mercer caught her leg and lifted her over his head.

He threw her into the floor, before jumping up, holding both Hammerfists over his head. Rika rolled away just as Mercer slammed his Hammerfists into the ground where she was. The impact tore through the floor, causing Mercer to drop to the floor beneath them.

Rika jumped down after him, landing on his back. She couldn't have cared less when the blood that covered his upper back stained her black jacket because her only goal was to kill Alex Mercer, whatever the cost.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, jerking his head backwards. Mercer responded by jumping backwards, straight through the wall. Rika grunted as she felt the impact and her eyes widened as she felt cold air upon her back.

Suddenly, she was aware that the two of them were falling through the air. Mercer's hands quickly transformed and his Whipfist, which rocketed toward the building from which they flew out of. The Whipfist crashed into the building, and Mercer, using it as an anchor, yanked both himself and Rika towards the building.

His free hand grabbed Rika by the neck and brought her in front of him. As soon as they reached the wall of the building, Mercer slammed Rika into the wall and began running up, dragging her through brick and glass as he made his way up.

The moment he reached the rooftop, he threw Rika forward. She rolled to a stop, her body quickly working to heal her various wounds. Mercer seemed surprised by her healing abilities, but his surprise was quickly replaced with a cold stare.

"Impressive. Now let's see how well you can adapt."

Rika's eyes narrowed as Mercer's Whipfist transformed into a pair of Claws. Mercer dug his right hand into the roof and Rika barely made it out of the way as massive, black and red spikes erupted from beneath her.

She tore a piece of the rooftop off, throwing it a Mercer with all her strength as he pulled his Claw out of the roof. He didn't manage to dislodge himself in time, and was hit head on by the chunk of the rooftop that Rika had thrown.

Rika dashed forward as Mercer was knocked back and jumped into the air. As Rika descended upon Mercer, she extended her right leg. It crashed into Mercer's chest, pushing him into the ground. Rika kicked off Mercer's chest, causing him to slide on the ground for several meters.

She landed gracefully on her feet. "Take that you piece of shit!"

Mercer slowly pulled himself off the ground, standing up to his full height. He locked eyes with her once more, and Rika was annoyed to find not an ounce of fear in them.

Mercer began transforming again, but this time, a massive Blade formed on his right arm, and a huge Shield on his left.

With a shout, Mercer lunged forward, extending his Blade. Rika barely dodged it, but was caught off guard as Mercer backhanded her with his Shield.

She tumbled backwards, quickly scrambling to her feet. But as she did so, Mercer's Blade buried itself deep in her chest. She coughed out a bit of blood as she felt pain explode in her chest. She knew her body could heal at incredible rates, but this still hurt.

Mercer jerked his Blade up, the momentum throwing Rika off of it. As soon as she was off, Mercer spun around, slashing her across her already bleeding chest. Rika dodged to her right as Mercer lunged forward once more. This time, she brought a crushing kick down on his back, causing him to fall forward.

He landed on his hands and knees, and Rika took the opportunity to grab him beneath the armpits and jumped into the air. She flipped backwards, and then came crashing into the ground. Mercer's head connected with the ground and Rika jumped away as Mercer bounced off the rooftop.

She ran towards him again, attempting a powerful dropkick. However, as soon as she tried it, she found both her legs caught by Mercer's hands. His arms had increased in size, and Rika quickly recognized his Musclemass power.

Mercer lifted her over his head and brought her down on his knee as though he was snapping a twig. However, Rika's body was far more durable than a twig, but Mercer seemed to know that. His attack stunned Rika for a second, which was all the time he needed to throw her towards another tall building.

The strength of his throw was reinforced by his Musclemass, causing Rika to be unable to catch herself before slamming into the rooftop of another building. She quickly got up, just in time to see Mercer land on the other side of the rooftop.

"It must be awful; knowing that you're about to die."

"Shut up!" Rika screamed. She jumped into the air, sailing towards Mercer. He dashed forward as Rika's fist slammed into the rooftop, creating a small crater.

Pain exploded in her back as she felt something dig into her. She looked back, noticing Mercer's Whipfist embedded in her back. He yanked her backwards and spun her around before slamming her into the rooftop.

Rika grunted as Mercer's foot crashed onto her chest, knocking the air out of her lungs. But before Mercer could continue his attack, Rika grabbed his leg, squeezing with all her might. The leg was crushed between her hands, quickly becoming deformed and weak. Mercer stumbled back with a grunt, tentacles surrounding his leg, quickly repairing it.

Rika didn't give him the chance to recover. She grabbed the ends of Mercer's shirt, yanking him downwards and driving her knee into his face. As he stumbled back and began standing, Rika threw a punch towards, his chest, ripping a hole clean threw it. She smirked. She couldn't consume him, but she could definitely cause some damage.

Rika's eyes widened as Mercer's cold eyes locked with hers once more. If he was in pain, he didn't show it. Mercer's hands clamped around Rika's head and he head butted her with enough force to smash a brick wall. Rika quickly withdrew, her hands coming up and cradling her aching head.

She didn't have time to react before she felt Mercer's foot connect with her stomach, launching her backwards. Her fingers dug into the rooftop as she slid backwards.

She looked back up towards Mercer, noticing that there was now a strange red mist rising from his body.

_Well, that's new._

"Now you've just made me mad," Mercer growled.

"At least I didn't kill _your _dad," Rika told him.

Mercer frowned. "Is that why you attacked me? I killed your father?"

Rika didn't reply. Instead, she ran forward, her steps creating small craters in the rooftop. Mercer's eyes narrowed and he dashed towards her as well. Both Rika and Mercer threw a punch with their right hands, and both of them caught each other's attacks. Rika held Mercer's right hand in her left, and he held her right hand in his left.

"This is pointless; I'm _going_ to rip you apart," Mercer told her.

"You don't even know who I am, do you? You think I'll die that easily?!"

"Do you know who _I_ am?" Mercer asked.

"Yes," Rika snarled. "You're the monster that terrorized New York. You're the reason my father is _dead_."

"Then I hope you two enjoy your reunion." With that, Mercer planted his foot on Rika's chest and yanked her arms forward. Rika grunted as she felt something dislocate, and her eyes widened as Mercer pushed her arms back towards her. However, the way he pushed caused her arms to bend the wrong way. Rika screamed as both her arms snapped and she stumbled backwards.

Her body already began healing as she came to a stop, but Mercer was already upon her. With his Musclemass power activated, he brought his hand low to the ground, before upper cutting her, sending her into the air.

Rika coughed as she felt her jaw break, but this time, she did not scream. She didn't want to let Mercer think he was getting the better of her. Her jaw had already snapped back into place by the time she hit the ground.

She looked up in time to notice Mercer's foot closing in on her face. She ducked beneath it just as it got near, and jumped forward, her head slamming into Mercer's chest. He jumped back at surprising speeds, a trail of red mist behind him. She gulped.

_He's getting faster…_

Mercer began moving towards her, zigzagging as he got closer. Every time he moved, there was a red trail of mist left behind him, but the main problem was that he was moving faster.

_What the hell is happening here?! What is that red mist?!_

Mercer lunged forward, his hand transforming into his Blade. Rika twisted out of the way and brought her elbow down on Mercer's back. However, that did little to stop him and he kept moving. Rika jumped back, her eyes shining with determination.

_I can't lose this fight…I have to win…for Dad._

With a shout, she ran forward, drawing back her right hand. As she neared Mercer, he turned to face her. The moment he did so, Rika jerked her right hand forward, attempting to land a successful hit on Mercer. He cocked his head to the side, her fist missing his head by inches. Time seemed to slow as Rika's face came within centimeters of Mercer's.

At such close range, Rika could make out of details of his face; the unnaturally pale skin, the strange blue eyes, the…grey sclera…the young face…and the…silver hair?

Rika's eyes widened and she jumped backwards, away from Mercer. As she landed, she began looking Mercer up and down.

_It's him, alright, it's gotta be! But…Alex Mercer had brown hair…_

"Hey, Mercer," she called.

"What?"

"What happened to your hair? Why's it silver?"

Mercer frowned. "What do you mean, 'why's it silver?' It's always been that way."

Rika shook her head in confusion. "No it hasn't! I've seen the data Blackwatch has on you. Alex Mercer; brown hair, blue eyes, blah, blah, blah."

Mercer said nothing and simply stared at her with a confused expression. "My name…isn't Alex."

Everything seemed to stop.

Rika stared at Mercer, her arms falling by her sides. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open beneath her ski mask.

"W—what? What do you mean, 'your name's not Alex'?!"

"Exactly what I said. That's not my name."

"B—but, y—you, I, WHAT?!"

Mercer cocked his head and stared at her with a baffled expression. "Are you…mentally ill?"

"NO! You! You're Alex Mercer! I know you are! You _look _like him, you _sound_ like him, and you _fight _like him! The only real difference is your hair color and the fact that your face looks a little younger! But you're _him_! I know you are! You're Alex Mercer; the man who made the BLACKLIGHT virus! The man who threw that vial on the ground at Penn Station and caused the outbreak! The man who caused the death of my father!"

Mercer's eyes widened at the accusation. He seemed to digest the information for a few seconds before his hand flew up to his head. He began writhing in what seemed to be pain and his eyes rolled back. Rika stared at him, dumbfounded. She had never seen anything like _this _before. After a nearly half a minute, his arms fell limp and he bent over at the waist. Slowly, he looked up at her, his expression hardening.

"Alex Mercer; the _human_ who made the BLACKLIGHT virus and destroyed that vial at Penn Station is _dead_. He _died_ at Penn Station."

Rika felt broken. She didn't understand what any of this meant. The man who she had been trying to hunt down for so long was…dead? But if Alex Mercer died, then who was it that Blackwatch was trying to kill. She decided to ask that very question.

"But then…who was Blackwatch fighting?! Who was the hooded guy who _called _himself Alex Mercer?! Who was it that battled Blackwatch back at New York?!"

"That was his creation; the BLACKLIGHT virus. Alexander James Mercer died at Penn Station, but the virus he released; it _thrived_, it _evolved_, it became _more_."

Rika stared at Mercer, or whoever he was, in shock. "What?!"

Mercer shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I don't care if you have the wrong guy; I'm going to kill you. But since you let me regain some…memories with your little outburst, I'll make it a quick death."

Rika blinked at his words. He had missing memories?

It seemed as though Mercer was actually going to attempt to kill her, but as soon as Mercer took a step toward her, Rika heard the sounds of a helicopter closing in.

Both she and Mercer looked toward the source of the noise and noticed an Anti-Skill helicopter flying towards the building.

"SIREN MERCER! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR ASSAULTING THE CITIZENS OF ACADEMY CITY! COME QUIETLY, OR WE _WILL_ USE DEADLY FORCE!"

Rika stared at the one she now knew as 'Siren Mercer'.

_Siren Mercer? Wasn't he the guy from the…clothing store?_

Her eyes widened. So…it was true? Did she really have the…the wrong guy?

***Page Break***

"BRAT! STAY CLOSE TO ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!"

Accelerator threw another one of the mutant creatures away from him and Last Order using his Reflection. The hooded figure from before was nowhere in sight, but ever since that red cloud thing, everyone who had been engulfed in it had been transformed into mindless animals.

The only exceptions were the people who were close to Accelerator. That meant that there were a dozen or so 'normal' people here, but there were _hundreds _of these…_things_. And it seemed as though all of them wanted to kill those who hadn't been changed by the red mist.

_Was that…Esper? Is he trying to start a war like he said?! But I didn't spread the story of him killing Ichijo Sakura! DAMN IT, ESPER! WHEN I FIND YOU, I'LL RIP YOUR SPINE OUT THROUGH YOUR ASS!_

Accelerator stomped on the ground, using his powers to create a massive shockwave that threw away the…things that were attacking him. He looked over, and noticed that the people who were saved by his Reflection were now turning into mindless animals as well. Each of them looked to have been bitten or mauled by one of the things already, so Accelerator assumed that whatever this was could be spread.

_Is this some kind of zombie virus? Is that what that red mist was?_

Accelerator grabbed Last Order, setting her on his shoulders. "Whatever you do, DO NOT let go! I'm going to get us out of here to a place where there are more people! We need to get this under control before it spreads too much!"

Last Order nodded quietly, her face contorted in fear with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Accelerator's eyes narrowed.

_Come on, I can do this…_

***Page Break***

Siren stared at the helicopter as it hovered by the rooftop, his eyes wide with shock.

_What? Are they arresting me for killing criminals? Typical, ungrateful, humans!_

"I REPEAT; YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR ASSAULTING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENTS! TELL US HOW TO REVERSE THE CHANGES YOUR RED MIST DID TO THEM !"

Siren blinked. "What changes?!" he shouted. "I haven't done anything!"

"NOT LONG AGO, SOMEBODY WITH TENTACLES WRITHING AROUND HIM WALKED INTO THE CENTER OF A BUSY STREET AND UNLEASHED A RED MIST ON THE LOCALS. THEY WERE MUTATED INTO MINDLESS ZOMBIES AND BEGAN ATTACKING THE FEW PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T MUTATED! YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO MEETS THAT DESCRIPTION, SO I REPEAT, TELL US HOW TO REVERSE THE CHANGES!"

Siren froze.

_There's an Evolved in the city he's spreading the virus._

The reality of the situation began setting in.

_Academy City is about to become the new New York!_

"Listen to me!" he shouted towards the helicopter. "Somebody is spreading a deadly virus in Academy City! The people who have been infected are no longer alive! KILL THE INFECTED BEFORE THEY CAN SPREAD THE VIRUS!"

He turned towards the girl he had been fighting, pointing a finger at her. "You! We'll finish this later! Right now, get down there and kill the Infected!"

The girl stared at him through her ski mask. "Why are they even here?! Why are the Infected showing up now?! Did YOU do this?!"

"NO!" Siren screamed. "Listen; there are others out there who are similar to me! They can shape shift, they can consume people, and they can _spread the virus!_ I'm fighting against them! I'm fighting _against _the Infected! One of the other people out here who are like me is spreading the virus in the city right now! SO GET THE FUCK DOWN THERE AND STOP THE INFECTED! WE ONLY HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THEY SPREAD ACROSS THE CITY!"

_She's powerful…she'll put up a good fight against the Infected and her healing powers might prevent her from becoming one of them. If the Infected spread, whoever is behind all of this will have an entirely new army._

With that, Siren sprinted over to the edge of the rooftop.

"HALT! WE WILL SHOOT YOU!"

_Damn it, you've GOT to be kidding me!"_

Siren turned towards the helicopter and jumped towards it, landing on the nose. He quickly climbed to the door and tore it off.

"LISTEN TO ME!" he screamed at the pilot and anybody else inside. "ONE OF THE EVOLVED IS SPREADING A DEADLY VIRUS IN ACADEMY CITY! IF WE DON'T STOP THEM NOW, THE CITY WILL BE DESTORYED ALONG WITH EVERYONE IN IT! THERE IS NO CURE FOR THE VIRUS; THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO KILL THE INFECTED OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, BEFORE THEY CAN SPREAD THE VIRUS! I'M GOING AFTER THE ONE SPREADING THE VIRUS, YOU GUYS TELL THE REST OF ANTI-SKILL TO START KILLING THE INFECTED! THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THE CITY AND EVERYBODY IN IT! YOU CAN ATTEMPT AND ARREST WHEN THERE ISN'T AN ARMY OF INFECTED DESTORYING YOUR CITY!"

At this point in time, he didn't care what the helicopter pilot decided to do. He quickly jumped off the helicopter and began jumping off buildings and gliding out into the city.

He pulled his phone from its biomass cocoon and quickly called Mikoro.

"Siren? Where are you?"

"Doesn't matter. Listen, somebody is spreading the virus in Academy City! I need you to start looking through the city's cameras. I need your help finding the Evolved behind this."

Silence.

"Mikoro? Mikoro, what's wrong?!"

"Holy shit…"

"Mikoro! What's going on?!"

"I just looked at the cameras…there are Infected _everywhere_. There are Anti-Skill troops and Judgment members all over the place; they're trying to fight off the Infected."

Siren gritted his teeth. "Whoever sent Craig must be making their move. There's no way this is a coincidence. Mikoro, call Touma and Index and have them stay at your apartment. DO NOT go outside. Touma's power is useless against the Infected and Index can't fight them alone. The three of you need to stay put in your apartment. Don't call Mikoto over…she'll never make it to you."

"Siren…how do we stop something like this?"

Siren sighed. "I'm sorry; we can't. Not completely, that is. They're spreading too fast. What we need to do now is find whoever started this and kill them as soon as possible. If whoever is doing this has any level of control over the Infected, they'll be able to take over the city with an army of Infected. _If _we manage to do that, they Infected will be a lesser threat. With time, Anti-Skill and Judgment might be able to destroy the Infected in the city, but…everybody who's been infected with the virus; they're gone. There's no bringing them back."

He heard Mikoro sniffle on the other end of the line. He could tell she was crying. "This is horrible. Is this…is this the end? The end of the world?"

"I don't think so, but if we don't act fast, it'll be the end of Academy City."

Mikoro gulped. "Be careful. Don't get killed."

"Yeah…you too."

Siren hung up and replaced his phone in its biomass cocoon. With his conversation over, he was free to move as fast as he wanted without having to worry about dropping the phone. He began moving faster, desperately searching the streets for signs of an Evolved.

What he saw reminded him of New York.

People ran screaming through the streets, Anti-Skill members and various types of espers were doing their best to fight off the Infected, but with little success. The Infected seemed to come from every direction. They jumped over cars, leapt on people, bit them, scratched them, _devoured _them, it was just like how his memories depicted New York.

Speaking of New York, when the girl in the ski mask began talking about how Alex Mercer created the virus and then smashed it at Penn Station, she triggered some lost memories for Siren.

What he learned was…incredible. That day; the day Alexander James Mercer smashed the vial at Penn Station, was the day that the BLACKLIGHT virus was truly born. As Alexander James Mercer lay dying at Penn Station, the virus that was in the vial had begun…consuming him.

Alexander James Mercer may have died that day, but the virus…it thrived. It had become that which Siren was now; sapient. However, this led to a new question. If the virus had become sapient…where was it now? Was he an offshoot of an offshoot? A part of a part? Was he once a part of the sapient form of BLACKLIGHT? If not, where did he come from?

The questions filled his head, and the only thing that prevented him from becoming lost in his own thoughts was the screaming of humans and the shrieks of the Infected. He shook his head as he made his way towards a rooftop.

But as soon as he landed, an angry voice spoke up from behind him.

"Siren Mercer, you are under arrest."

Siren looked over his shoulder, only to find Kuroko standing behind him. "How could you do this? How could you cause so much chaos?!"

Siren narrowed his eyes. This whole accusation thing was getting annoying. "I didn't do anything. I was too busy being attacked to do anything. Look, the one who's spreading the virus is not me. I don't know who it is, but I'm looking for them, and you should be too."

Kuroko shook her head. "A likely story. How do I know that you're not trying to get out of the city?"

Siren stared at her. "Maybe because, the way I'm headed now, I should reach the middle of Academy City in a few minutes? If I was trying to escape, why would I make my way towards the middle?"

"Maybe to spread this virus you mentioned," Kuroko replied firmly. "Don't worry; you'll have plenty of time to talk about it as you rot in jail."

Siren craned his neck. "Kuroko, right now, there's a huge threat looming on the horizon. Mikoto might not have explained this to you, but the world is at stake. The one or ones spreading the virus won't stop at Academy City. This isn't the first time something like this has happened, and unless we stop the ones behind it, this won't be the last."

Kuroko's eyes widened. "This has happened before?"

Siren nodded. "Yes. I'm not going to explain everything but I will say this; kill the Infected as fast as possible. Those things aren't people anymore; they're dead and cannot be cured. Go and kill as many of these Infected as possible to help fight the virus. I'm trying to find the one behind all this."

Kuroko frowned. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You're not the only one who has the ability to teleport. So why's it so hard to believe that I'm the only one with powers like these? There are people out there who possess a set of abilities very similar to mine."

"That's not enough to convince me."

Siren sighed. Damn it, looks like she'll be prying into this as well.

"Ask Mikoto. She knows about me and who I am."

Kuroko frowned. "Onee-sama? What does she have to do with this? How do you two even know each other?"

"I said ask _her_. I'm busy at the moment trying to stop your city from being utterly destroyed," Siren growled.

Kuroko looked at him for a few more seconds before turning around. "If I find out you're lying…"

"You're welcome to try and arrest me but don't expect to walk away alive," Siren finished for her. He then stepped over the edge of the building, plummeting to the ground.

When he landed, the first thing he noticed was the lack of humans. It seemed as though everybody in this area had already been infected. He gritted his teeth.

_I can't believe this is happening. There's no way to completely save Academy City…the best we can do is keep it from burning to the ground…_

Siren began sprinting through the street, pushing past Infected as he moved. Luckily, he hadn't run into any Hunters, but that didn't mean this was going to be easy. Finding one Evolved among a sea of Infected was like trying to find a needle in the world's largest haystack.

Siren jumped over an abandoned car and kept moving. The sounds of the shrieking Infected filled his ears and the smell of blood and the flesh of the Infected flooded his nostrils. It was just like New York all over again…

Siren shoved another Infected out of his way before leaping over a group of the beasts as they devoured a screaming woman. He didn't slow down at all as he passed by all the carnage; they sights of New York had made him immune to such things. But he did pause when he heard the sound of gunfire.

Looking to his right, he saw a street that still had living people on it. Dozens of Anti-Skill soldiers stood on the road, desperately trying to kill the Infected. Civilians and espers were amongst the carnage, each fighting for their lives.

Some of the more powerful espers seemed capable of holding their own against the Infected, but the civilians and the weaker espers were being ripped apart by the swarms of Infected. The creatures ran through the streets, tackling anybody they could to the ground and began chomping away.

Siren noticed a single esper who was doing particularly well against the Infected. This particular esper had white hair and a cane on his right hand.

Siren's eyes widened as he recognized Accelerator.

_He might become useful for fighting off the Infected later on. I need to get at least him out of there._

Siren dived towards the street upon which Accelerator fought for his life, and Last Order's.

Siren noticed the young girl as she clutched to Accelerator's leg. She couldn't go anywhere because she must have known that she wouldn't make it ten steps before she was killed.

Siren frowned but continued on his dive towards the ground. As he neared the street, his hands changed into Hammerfists and he stretched them out before him.

***Page Break***

Accelerator grunted as he blasted away another of the zombie things. No matter how many of them he killed, there always seemed to be more. Last Order clung to his left leg with a terrified expression as the zombies continued throwing themselves at Accelerator.

_Aren't zombies supposed to be slow? Why are these things so fast?_

It was true; unlike what most films would have one believe, these zombies were faster than normal people and they seemed to possess far superior strength. Accelerator watched as several zombies crashed into an abandoned vehicle, sending it tumbling across the street.

Accelerator stomped on the ground, generating another shockwave that sent dozens of zombies in every direction. He glanced around, hoping to see a decrease in the amount of zombies, but was disappointed to find that their numbers had actually _increased_.

It was then that something crashed into the street, sending the zombies flying, much like Accelerator's own attack. Accelerator looked over to the disturbance, only to find a hooded figure standing up. His fists were absolutely massive and closely resembled the boxer-fist power Esper had used when fighting the Golems.

Accelerator's eyes widened.

_Esper! He must be the one behind all of this! _

"Esper!" he shouted. "Is this your doing?! I thought you said you _weren't _going to start a war! What the fuck is your deal?!"

"I'm on your side, moron!"

"Oh?! Then would you care to explain the army of mutant freaks that are destroying everything?!"

"I'm not the one who did it! There's somebody _else _spreading the virus! Whoever it is, they have powers similar to mine!"

"You expect me to believe that?!"

"I'm _trying _to keep you alive! The Infected won't just go away with time! We need to kill whoever spread the virus and then focus on the Infected themselves! You're the strongest esper in Academy City, you would be a huge help when it comes to fighting these things!"

"If you're so powerful why not take care of these things yourself?!"

"Because when I kill the one who spread the virus I'm going to go after whoever sent him! If the ones behind all this aren't stopped, they'll just keep spreading the virus! The ones behind it come first, and then come the Infected!"

Accelerator narrowed his eyes as Esper stepped forward. However, before either of them could say anything, Last Order spoke up.

"Siren? Is that you? Misaka Misaka remembers you!"

Accelerator stared at Last Order. "You know him?"

Last Order nodded. "He helped Misaka when Misaka got separated from you shortly before the Golem incident, explains Misaka Misaka."

"Listen, we need powerful espers to help kill the Infected. I know you barely know me, but the Infected need to be killed. Otherwise, the ones behind all this are adding troops to their already growing army."

Accelerator stared at him. "Any way you could explain this so that it makes sense?"

Esper sighed. "Yes, but first, let's get off the ground. You've been using your Reflection to throw off the Infected throughout this entire conversation and you need to save some of your choker's power for later."

"Get off the ground? What, now you can fly too? Be serious here Esper."

"Nobody said anything about flying. Oh, and my name's not Esper. It's Siren Mercer."

With that, Siren Mercer grabbed both Accelerator and Last Order and began running up the side of a nearby building.

***Page Break***

Rika quickly opened the door that led to her home. She was well aware that there were Infected running all over the city and she was dead set on destroying them, not because Siren told her to, but because she didn't want to see Academy City become a copy of New York.

"Mom?! Mom where are you? We need to get you guys out of the city—!"

Rika's word's caught in her throat as she saw something red.

Blood.

The walls were _painted_ with it. Rika's eyes widened and she felt panic building up in her chest.

_No…no no no!_

She began running around her house, desperately looking for her mother and sister.

"MOM?!" she screamed with tears in her eyes. "Mom where are you?!"

It was when she came to her own bedroom that she saw it. The literal writing on the wall. In big, red letters that were written in blood, were the words _Blackwatch's Little Fuck-Up._

…

Rika never did find her mother or sister in that cold, empty house.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**The Infection in Academy City: Because why not?**

**Rika vs. Siren: The reason for Rika being able to go toe-to-toe(ish) with Siren will be explained in later chapters. Also, you might be wondering why the fight was kept short. Well, it wasn't meant to be a battle to the death. For example, when the bigger battles start, I'll most likely make them longer/bloodier/more violent/etc.**

**Siren Trying to Stop The Infection: Why does he care? Like he said, he doesn't want his enemies to have another army of Infected at their disposal.**

**The Infected: Do they seem a little stronger than the ones in the [Prototype] games? Well, that's because they are! Why? You'll see…**

**Why Didn't Rika Recognize Siren's Clothing At The Store?: Rika only saw a picture of Alex Mercer's face, hence why she didn't recognize the red symbol on Siren's back.**

**How Does Rika Know About Siren's Powers?: Like the story said, she knows how they look based on what she's heard from Blackwatch soldiers.**

**Accelerator vs. Infected: (This is just to show how Accelerator stacks up against the foot soldiers of the Infected army) As we all know, Accelerator is pretty damn powerful. Pit him against a few Infected and he'll always come out on top. However, just like everybody else in this fic, Accelerator has his limits. If there are enough Infected attacking him, they'll eventually bring him down.**

**Blackwatch's Little Fuck-Up: So, what exactly is Rika to Blackwatch? Read on to find out! Or wait for the next chapter if it's not up yet (^_**0)


	15. Chapter 15

DISCLAIMER: YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW THAT I DON'T OWN THE ANIME/GAMES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS FIC.

Orraa! Anti-Atom is back! For now. ;/

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: There will MOST LIKELY be another delay soon, but it shouldn't be as long as the last one. I am seriously sorry for this, but there's nothing I can do. Family comes before the fic :/ **

** A QUICK NOTE: Thank you to everybody who's reading this story. An even bigger thanks to everybody who's sent me a PM or left a review; you're interest in the story is very motivating and it's been a pleasure meeting all of you. I hope that after this story, I'll continue writing and I hope that any other works I post peak your interest. Finally, thank you to everyone for putting up with the resent delays. I'd like to have more time to work on this, but there's nothing I can do. Now, without further delay, here it is; the 15****th**** chapter of A Certain Sapient Virus!**

**Chapter 15**

**A Common Enemy**

The sounds of human screams and the inhumane shrieks of the Infected rang out from the streets below them. The stench of the flesh of the Infected was carried to them by the wind and the smell of blood filled their nostrils. The rooftop may have had a noticeable absence of Infected, but the three who stood upon it were well aware of what was transpiring beneath them.

"So you're saying that there is somebody or a group of people who are spreading a deadly super virus that's turning people into zombies?"

Siren nodded.

Accelerator raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "And you just _happen _to have the same powers as them? Normally similar powers aren't much to go off of, but you don't see too many people running around with tentacles and shit like that."

Siren rolled his eyes. "They have the same powers, yes, but trust me; I _do not_ work with them."

"Then why's it that you're all showing up in Academy City at the same time? One shape shifter here, another one there, a third around the corner, and a fucking army of zombies all over the place. That doesn't seem like a coincidence to me," Accelerator said while shooting Siren a look of absolute distrust.

Siren crossed his arms. "_I _came here to blend in; it's easier to do so when many other people have powers. _They're _here because they've come for me; it's the most likely explanation for their presence."

"Ha! Now you're saying these _zombies_ are targeting you specifically?! They're _zombies_; they can't think."

"The Infected on the streets are the result of an Evolved spreading the virus. I'm saying that the _Evolved _came here for me. The Infected down there were created by the Evolved after they got into the city."

Siren and Accelerator glared at each other; Accelerator's eyes full of anger and Siren's lacking any distinguishable feeling.

"Um…Can Misaka sa—"

"Brat, now is _not _the time for any of your crap," Accelerator snapped at her. Last Order recoiled from him in what Siren thought was mild fear.

Accelerator looked back to Siren. "Why should I believe any of this? Why shouldn't I just kill you and be done with it?"

"I'm the best chance this city has of beating back the Infected. I know more about them than any of you could ever hope to learn."

_Partially because I am a walking virus that has some REDLIGHT- infected DNA within me…_

"Cool story pal, but that doesn't make me want to believe you."

Siren shook his head before gesturing to Last Order. "She's one of the Misaka clones, isn't she?"

Accelerator looked toward Last Order before looking back to Siren. "Yes…what's it to you?"

Siren took a step towards Last Order. He looked down at her small form, her large eyes full of uncertainty as she stared up towards his pale face.

"I know one of the Misaka clones. If I called her and she explained to you that I'm _not _the enemy right now, would you be able to convince this one," he jerked his head toward Accelerator, "that I am not the one who he should be focusing his anger on?"

Last Order's eyes widened. "You know one of the Misaka clones, asks Misaka Misaka?!"

Siren nodded. "The one called Mikoro; she's the one I'm referring to."

"Wait," Accelerator began from behind Siren. "You know one of the clones?"

Siren didn't bother turning to face Accelerator. "Isn't that what I just said?"

Accelerator rolled his eyes. "I thought I misheard. I was under the impression that Last Order was the only clone that associated with monsters."

"I—if Mikoro can confirm that you can be trusted, Misaka can explain to Accelerator that you're not the enemy, says Misaka Misaka as she shivers from hearing the horrible screams from below…"

Siren turned to Accelerator. "I'm going to call Mikoro and she's going to explain to Last Order that I'm not associated with the Evolved."

Accelerator frowned. "Who exactly are the Evolved?" Siren didn't answer. Instead, he reached his hand into his chest, which seemed to unwind in order to make room for the pale hand to reach in. Accelerator recoiled slightly as he watched Siren rip a phone from his own chest.

Siren quickly began searching through his phone until finally, he turned to Last Order, the phone still held to his ear. After a few seconds, Accelerator heard a female voice say 'hello' on the other end of the line.

"Hello? Mikoro? Listen, I need you to speak with somebody…"

***Page Break***

"This can't be happening."

Mikoto stood with her hands held limp at her sides as she looked out at the streets from behind the glass window of the second floor of an apartment building.

"Are you sure Onee-sama? Are you completely sure that Siren isn't the cause of all of this? I know that you just said in your explanation that you've been helping him, but look at these creatures! Some of them even have tentacles for limbs and blades for fingers! Who else besides that silver-haired teen had those kinds of claws?"

Mikoto could see that many of the monsters running around on the streets had claws that were very similar in appearance to Siren's powers. The resemblance was undeniable, but…was Siren truly the cause of this?

Mikoto pressed her forehead against the window. She gritted her teeth as she looked out. No. Siren just couldn't be the cause for all this. A large part of her refused to believe that this was Siren's doing, but at the same time, a small part of her, the part that was wary of Siren and was aware of his twisted nature, wasn't ruling out the possibility of this being Siren's handiwork. She desperately hoped that this wasn't Siren's doing, seeing as they would need all the help they could get in order to save Academy City from the hands of the Infected. If Siren was against them, it would only be that much more difficult.

She took a shaky breath. "Kuroko, I highly doubt that Siren is the cause of this. He…he wouldn't do this."

Kuroko frowned. "You don't sound too sure, Onee-sama."

"It's hard to be sure of anything when the world turns into a sci-fi horror movie right before your eyes," Mikoto replied with a grim expression on her face.

***Page Break***

Last Order slowly lowered the phone from her ear as her conversation with Mikoro came to an end. She looked over to Accelerator, a serious expression on her face.

"Based on what Mikoro has said, Siren can be trusted, Misaka Misaka firmly concludes."

Accelerator frowned at her for a second before looking over to Siren, who was shooting him an annoyed glare.

"You see? What did I tell you?"

_It's too bad I couldn't ask Mikoro to explain to Kuroko. I have no idea if she even knows about the Misaka clones, and it'd be pretty awkward if she found out at a time like this…_

Siren turned to Last Order, his hand extended. She placed the phone in his hand, though she held it as though it was the decayed corpse of an animal. Siren assumed she was somewhat uncomfortable holding the device, seeing as he ripped it from his own chest.

He returned the phone to the biomass cocoon in which he stored it in. The action caused Last Order to jump back as she watched the red and black tentacles swallow the cocoon. Siren turned back to Accelerator, who was giving him a curious look.

"So, what exactly _is_ your power? I mean, I've seen you shape shift and—"

"Now's not the time. Right now, the important thing is thinning out the number of Infected in the city. Since you can only fight for as long as that choker of yours has power, we need to get you close to a place where you can recharge that thing."

"I'd prefer to be close to the place where I live."

Siren nodded. "Anywhere's fine as long as you can make use of your powers to kill as many of the Infected as possible."

Accelerator smirked. "Not much of a plan, but seeing as this whole thing seems to have caught Academy City with its pants down; I guess we can overlook your lack of planning skills. So how do you propose we get there? My choker doesn't have much power left, and I'd rather it didn't run out in the middle of a fight with those things."

Siren sighed in annoyance. "I can carry you and Last Order. Once I get you close to your place, charge up your choker and then start killing. Last Order can stay inside the house, or I can take her to Mikoro's; she'll be relatively safe there."

Accelerator gave him a suspicious glace. "Is anybody guarding Mikoro's place?"

Siren's thoughts went to Index. The girl did have some magical abilities, however, he didn't know the extent of it, or what she could even do for that matter. He had never really bothered finding out too much about the girl, mostly because she was incredibly annoying.

"There is somebody there who has a level of power, though it's probably not much. However, Mikoro's home isn't on ground level, and as long as they stay quit and out of sight, the Infected shouldn't bother them. On the other hand, if she went with you, you might put her in danger by attracting attention. A massive fight with the Infected would definitely attract attention, possibly from the Evolved who are behind this. If _they_ show up, you might be in over your head if they're strong in numbers."

"You still haven't told me who the Evolved ar—"

"Make a fucking decision," Siren growled. "We're wasting time! So does Last Order go with you or to Mikoro's?!"

Before Accelerator could respond, Last Order spoke up. "Misaka wants to stay with Accelerator, whispers Misaka Misaka."

Accelerator looked over to her, opening his mouth to speak, but before he could, Siren grabbed Last Order in his right hand and Accelerator in his left. Last Order screamed in surprise as Siren jumped off the building with the two in tow.

"Damn it! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"You two can have your sentimental chat later. Right now, I'm getting you to your house."

A few stray tentacles curled around Last Order's and Accelerator's waist, holding them firmly as Siren made impossible high leaps through the city towards their destination.

"Wow, shouts Misaka Misaka! Siren must be able to manipulate gravity or something along those lines to be able to jump like this, exclaims Misaka Misaka in awe!"

Siren rolled his eyes. He didn't need to manipulate gravity to be able to jump like this. He could move like this because his body wasn't bound by human limitations. In other words, he wasn't physically weak like the race that was responsible for his existence.

Accelerator shifted in discomfort. "So you can manipulate gravity _and_ shape shift? What do those two even have in common? There's no connection."

"I have no control over gravity. I'm merely jumping."

Accelerator snorted. "Bullshit. There's no way you're not doing this without the aid of some kind of ability."

"What you believe my powers to be is up to you; I don't really care, but I'll tell you this; what you consider an 'ability'; I consider completely natural."

It was true; Siren didn't really consider his strength and speed as 'powers'. He was fast because his body's biological structure and makeup allowed him to be. The lack of bones meant flexibility, and his biomass body was far stronger than most creatures of ordinary flesh and bone.

"By the way, do you even know where we live?

"Not a clue," Siren growled.

Accelerator rolled his eyes. "Take a left."

***Page Break***

"Damn it!" shouted Touma, slamming his fist on the table. "I can't sit by and watch as the city is torn apart like this! I _have _to get out there and help!"

"Touma, you know you can't do anything in this situation! The Infected aren't rooted in magic or esper powers! They're rooted in one of the viruses that Siren described! Whether these Infected are the product of the REDLIGHT virus or the BLACKLIGHT virus, or possible a mixture of the two, we don't know, but we know that your Imagine Breaker won't harm them! If you go out now, you're as good as dead!"

Touma looked to Mikoro who stared at him from her seat at the computer. Behind her, on the screen, he could see the cameras that displayed the utter carnage that had swallowed the streets of Academy City. The city was being invaded before his very eyes, and he couldn't do anything!

"This is beyond bad luck," Touma growled.

Mikoro looked to the ground. "It's unfair, I know. We can only do so much to contain the Infected, but it doesn't seem like it'll be enough. You and I, we simply don't have the right tools for the job. Right now, the best thing to do is support those who _can _fight the Infected."

Touma nodded grimly. "I know Siren said that the virus worked at an explosive rate and could reduce a city to a wasteland, but this…this is insanity."

Mikoro gave a slight nod in response before looking to Index. The blue-haired girl sat silently on the couch. Touma had never seen Index look so…down, but this situation seemed to be bringing everybody to their knees.

He sighed. He despised this feeling of helplessness. So many times he had faced and brought down opponents who were far more powerful than he was; his Imagine Breaker always allowed him to pull through. But this? This was something else entirely. This wasn't an enemy whose attacks he could dispel with a mere touch. No, this was an enemy whose power lay in another force all together.

"Such misfortune," he mumbled in frustration.

Mikoro gave him a look of pity. "I'm sorry you can't go out there and help, I really am. Every other time there was an enemy; you've faced them head on with your Imagine Breaker. I can imagine how frustrating it must be when you can't help like you usually do."

It was then that somebody began beating their fist against the door.

"Somebody, please help!" A woman's voice sounded from behind the door.

Mikoro, Touma, and Index had all snapped to attention the moment they heard the loud knocking, but now, Touma was running to the door. The moment he got close, he unlocked it and threw it open.

As the door opened, it revealed a red haired woman with bright green eyes and tan skin. Her white shirt was torn in several places and her jeans looked as though they had gone through a paper shredder.

She dived into the room the moment Touma opened the door, throwing her arms around him.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Touma stepped back as the woman crushed him in her arms, his face burning at the close contact. He tried prying the woman off him, but to no avail.

"Uh, you're welcome? Listen, I need to close the door so that nothing else gets in…"

The woman's eyes widened and she stepped away from Touma with a small smile.

"S—sorry, I'm just happy that somebody finally risked opening their door. Everybody else I ran to was too afraid to open their door, even though I was begging to be let in."

Touma felt his anger rising. How could anybody turn their back on an innocent woman when she needed shelter?!

He blinked in surprise as the woman leaned towards him with half-lidded eyes. "Not many people act so…heroically," she purred, her face nearing his and her arms snaking around his back once more.

Just as the woman's lips came within centimeters of his, he felt a pair of hands yank him back.

Touma stumbled backwards into Mikoro, who held on to the back of his shirt, and the two went crashing to the floor. He looked up and froze at the sight before him. The woman's right hand had been replaced by a strange chain that had red and black tentacles woven throughout it. At the end of the strange appendage, where the woman's hand once was, sat a curved blade of medium length, one that was far too inconvenient to use in close quarters combat.

_That looks almost kind of like that Whipfist thing Siren told me about!_

"Wow, I know the data we had on you suggested that you were an idiot, but I didn't think you'd _actually_ let me in! Hell, even I was lost for a second when you opened that door; had to improvise and act like a poor woman who just met her 'knight in shining armor'." The voice that came from the woman's mouth was now significantly deeper. Touma watched as the woman's body became a mass of black and red tentacles before slowly reforming into what looked like a man.

Touma couldn't see the man's face because it was covered by a strange, black gas mask with glowing blue lens over the eyes. His body was covered by a black military suit along with black shoes; the only part of him that wasn't covered in black attire was his fingertips which poked out from his fingerless black gloves. The pale, bony fingers of his left hand clenched and unclenched as he stared down at them.

"That's a Blackwatch soldier," Mikoro breathed from behind him in fear.

Touma's eyes widened as the man stepped closer. "Oh? So Mercer _did_ tell you about Blackwatch? Although, I'm not _technically_ with Blackwatch anymore. As you can guess, being an Evolved sort of puts me on their 'to be murdered brutally' list.

He stopped talking as Index stepped up next to Touma and Mikoro, who were scrambling to their feet. The man chuckled as the trio stared at him in a mix of fear and anger.

"I like fighting as much as the next Evolved, but I prefer an opponent who can actually put up a decent fight, so let's make this easy. You three can surrender and be consumed quickly, OR, you can try to run or fight, which will lead to a slow and agonizing death. Personally, I just want a crack at Mercer, and you have memories that might help us find him. It's harder to find him when there are Infected swarming the streets, so we're resorting to the consumption of people to find him."

Mikoro narrowed her eyes. "Why do you want Siren anyways?"

"Siren…huh, I'll never get used to people calling him that. Everybody used to just call him Mercer or whatever."

Touma gritted his teeth as he stared at the 'Evolved' in front of him. "Posing as a helpless woman; that's a gutless thing to do."

"This coming from the guy who's helping a delusional mass murderer who holds no regard for innocent lives. Do you even know what Siren's done? How many innocent lives were lost because of his selfish actions?"

"Shut up!" Mikoro snapped. "Siren's nothing like you!"

"Oh please, that's what he _wants_ you to believe; hell, that's what he wanted _himself _to believe. The moment he remembers everything, the moment he realizes it all, he'll throw you all aside like dogs. He won't hesitate to eliminate you. As soon as he remembers, he'll see you all for what you really are; loose ends."

They stared at the Evolved in confusion. "What the heck are you talking about?" asked Touma.

The Evolved shook his head. "The information would be useless to you. The dead have no use for knowledge," he said as he walked towards them.

"You may be right, but _I _need the knowledge you have far more than you do."

The Evolved whirled around as he heard the voice. Touma watched as a girl with long, black hair grabbed the Evolved and fell onto her back, putting her feet on his chest. As she rolled back, the girl kicked out her legs, sending the Evolved straight out the door.

She quickly jumped to her feet, sparing a glance toward the trio. "All of you; stay here and stay quite! Don't open the door for _anybody_. I'm going out there to finish that freak off!"

She charged out the door, leaving the trio to wonder what just happened.

***Page Break***

** A Dozen or So Minutes Ago…**

The wall crumbled as Rika's fist hit it. Her shoulders shook and tears of fury rolled down her face. Her white ski mask was in her left hand, and she clutched it with enough strength to crush stone.

"Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!" she shrieked towards the ceiling. She drew back her fist and hit the wall again, causing even more damage to the already crumbling structure.

"Damn this fucking virus! Damn Blackwatch! Damn Gentek, and DAMN THIS FUCKING WORLD!"

It was unfair. She had already lost her father, why did fate see it fit to rob her of her remaining family? Why did this virus keep showing up in her life and keep robbing her of that which she loved?

Her black hair tumbled over her shoulders as she sank to her knees. Her breathing was ragged and her fists were clenched hard enough to draw blood from her own palms.

After a few seconds, she let out another scream of fury. It was all she could do right now; scream at the world for its crimes against her. She didn't know who was responsible for this, she didn't know who released the virus; it could have been Mercer, it could have been somebody else, and she didn't know what else to do.

"Why's it that I can save the lives of others by stopping a crime in progress or putting a terrorist down before he can act, but I can't protect my own family?! What's the point of this power if I can use it to save anyone _but _my family?! Why should I bother helping anyone if I can't be with _my _family?! Let those ignorant bastards fend for themselves!"

She sat there, fuming and cursing the world. Her mouth parted as she panted and sweat rolled down her face along with the tears that fell from her eyes. Each passing second felt like an eternity in a lake of fire; nothing but pure pain and agony.

Several minutes passed, and Rika slowly came back to her senses. Sitting here and mourning wasn't going to kill whoever was responsible for this. Rika slowly rose to her feet, her arms falling to her sides.

Her breathing was slow and heavy; not from exhaustion, but from the unrestrained fury that filled her very being and swallowed every fiber in her body.

She threw the ski mask to the floor and made her way out of the apartment. As soon as she was outside, she leapt into the sky, easily jumping hundreds of feet into the air. As soon as her feet touched the rooftop she had jumped to, she leapt again, covering vast distances in seconds.

She didn't know who she was searching for specifically; anybody who stood out among the Infected. Perhaps another being like Mercer, somebody who had the power of the virus, but also had their mind, unlike the Infected on the streets below.

_Somebody's about to have their spine ripped out through their ass and shoved down their throat._

***Page Break***

Siren jumped from rooftop to rooftop, searching for any signs of the Evolved. The problem was that many of these Infected actually had Claws or Whipfists, making it that much harder to find an Evolved who'd usually stand out due to their polymorphic abilities.

He had dropped Accelerator and Last Order off at their home without any interruption; something he was grateful for. The albino esper immediately went to charge his choker while Last Order stood at the window, looking outside at the carnage that had enveloped the city. The Infected weren't yet aware of their presence, so Siren hoped that Accelerator would be able to catch them by surprise and thin their numbers as much as possible.

The possibility of Accelerator being killed was definitely there, but Siren needed somebody powerful to begin taking care of the Infected. Besides Accelerator, there were few people, himself included, that could do serious damage to the numbers of the Infected.

He had considered asking Mikoto, but if he needed help fighting the Evolved, he'd rather have Mikoto at his side, mostly because Accelerator could turn on him at any second during a battle.

Siren kicked off the wall of another building, his eyes scanning the ground beneath him. When looking for something that was infected, he'd usually make use of his Infected Vision, but here, almost everything had been infected. Finding a few Evolved among this mess would be like trying to find a single needle in a _very_ bloody haystack.

His search continued for several minutes before he caught sight of something. There, in the sky, were several humanoid shapes. Each of them had a strange, red mist rising from their bodies like vapor. The almost looked like they were flying, and it wasn't until he was closer did he realize that these 'people' were literally flying. Massive wings had replaced the human arms and hands that were once attached to these creatures, their faces had been mutated to unrecognizable levels, and their bodies had various bites and scratches on them.

_Flyers…_

That's what Craig had known these things as. Siren narrowed his eyes as several of the Flyers seemed to take notice of him, their mutated jaws dropped and horrible screeching noises escaping past their swollen lips.

He landed on one last building before leaping into the air again, his limbs stretched out with glowing red mist trailing behind them. He glided towards the Flyers as they dived toward him.

If they weren't too far gone, if they hadn't yet been completely consumed by the virus, these Flyers might still have some memories left. If he could salvage those memories, he might be able to gather some useful information, what with these creatures having a bird's eye view.

Siren's right hand quickly changed into his Whipfist and he flung the blade-tipped end towards the nearest Flyer. The Whipfist tore into the Flyer's side as the creature attempted to evade, however, the Flyer showed no signs of pain and kept flying.

Siren yanked the Flyer towards him, tentacles stretching from his body. The Flyer crashed into Siren's chest and he crushed the creature in his arms as the two plummeted to the ground. He finished consuming it before he was even halfway to the street below and then proceeded to spin upright and stretch his limbs out once more.

He silently cursed as he realized the creature had given him no memories; it had already completely succumbed to the virus. He quickly glided to the nearest building, his feet slamming into the wall. He then began running up the side, defying gravity the pleasure of forcing him to the ground.

Before he could reach the top, he heard the sound of one of the Flyers shrieking as it descended. He spared a glance over his shoulder, just in time to see the Flyer stretch out its mutated feet towards him. The toes fused together and lengthened considerably, giving the Flyer feet that closely resembled those of a bird.

The creature managed to grab him by the shoulder, ripping him off the wall with surprising strength. However, despite its strength, it couldn't hold him for long, especially since Siren was swinging his Whipfist at the Flyer's head. He managed to leave a long gash down the side of the Flyer's face, temporarily blinding it as the blood splashed across its face.

It relinquished its grip on him, allowing Siren to dive towards the ground. If these Flyers were intent on killing him, he'd force them to the ground where he could finish them off faster.

As Siren landed, he jerked his head towards the sky, searching for the Flyers. He was surprised to find that none of them actually followed him to the ground. Back in New York, the Infected would charge after him as long as they could get to him. He'd be able to avoid the lesser Infected by making his way to the rooftops, but these Infected possessed the ability to fly; shouldn't they be diving towards him?

It wasn't long before he noticed that the Flyers that still circled overhead weren't actually looking at _him_. Rather, they were eyeing something _behind_ him. Siren quickly turned around, and his eyes immediately widened in surprise.

A hulking Infected was making its way towards him, crushing lesser Infected underfoot as it moved. The creature was still out of earshot, but his excellent eyesight allowed him to view the creature in detail. It was larger than any Hunter, but not quite as large as a Leader Hunter, though very close. It didn't share the Hunters' form either. While the Hunters stood on four legs, this creature walked around on two, _very_ stubby, legs. Its skin was unlike that of that of the Hunters or the Leader Hunters. Instead of a fleshy pink or an earthly brown, this Infected's skin was a pale grey color. The head was smaller than that of a Hunter and it was different in terms of shape. However, the most surprising thing about this Infected was its arms. From the elbow down, its arms looked as though there were incased in white stone. Massive spikes lined its arms, giving it the appearance of a walking mace.

_Those look almost like…Hammerfists. Is this some kind of Hammerfist variant of the original Hunters?_

Siren bent his knees as he prepared for a fight. For all he knew, this Infected could be the only one of its kind, but even if it wasn't, its DNA could be invaluable…

He could tell that the creature could see him now; the fact that it had stopped moving and was staring directly at him was a dead giveaway. Siren's arms transformed into his own Hammerfists, the massive, mace-like appendages causing him to slouch slightly.

He hit his fists against each other, an action that seemed to persuade the creature to attack. No doubt it thought he was challenging it, which he was, all things considered.

The massive Infected began walked forward; it wasn't moving as slow as it was before, but it wasn't what one would call a 'run'. Siren figured that the creature's stubby legs prevented it from fast movement, but given the size of its Hammerfists, it probably hit like a train…a heavily armored, super charged, death-train. There were dozens of lesser Infected that dotted the street, most of which were shuffling towards him as well.

Siren began jogging towards the massive Infected. His pace slowly increased as he moved, his legs beginning to move faster and faster. Soon, his jog had turned into a full-on sprint as he made his way towards the Infected. He shoved past the lesser Infected as he moved, their frail bodies crushed by the impact of his oversized fists.

He threw back his right fist, dragging it across the ground. He then jerked it forward with all his strength, sending his entire body flying forward through the air towards the Infected. The massive creature lifted up its Hammerfists in front of its body like a shield. Siren smashed against the creature, pushing it back, but not damaging it. He planted his feet on its Hammerfist and kicked off, putting some distance between himself and the Infected.

The creature; now satisfied that it had blocked Siren's attack, lifted its right hand over its head and, with a roar, brought it down on the ground. Siren's eyes widened as the ground beneath him trembled. It took him a second to realize what was happening, but by then, it was too late. Massive red and black spikes erupted from the ground beneath him, impaling him through his chest.

He grunted and his eyes widened as he was lifted dozens of feet into the air. The size of this creature's Ground Spike was _actually_ comparable to his own. Siren's Hammerfists transformed into his Claws, which he dug into the spike that currently ran through him. He dislodged himself and jumped to the ground, his landing creating cracks in the street.

He eyed the Infected before him, taking its form in once more. He scanned for any immediate weakness as the Infected retracted its Ground Spike and lifted its Hammerfist back up. He didn't find any dead giveaways, so he decided he'd defeat this Infected like he had every other one; grind its bones to dust with his Hammerfists and peel the flesh apart with his bladed weapons.

He pointed his right hand towards the creature and tentacles surrounded his limb. Less than a second later, his arm was replaced with his Blade. He jumped into the air, holding the Blade over his head. He flipped forward, and plummeted to the ground, holding his Blade parallel to his body with the back end aimed at the Infected's head.

Once again, the creature raised its fist over its head, attempting to block him. He anticipated this, and pulled out of his drop, gliding over the Infected's head, landing behind it. He whirled around, digging his Blade deep into the creature's back. The Infected roared, not in pain, but in fury as it stepped back towards him. Siren attempted to jump back, but the creature jumped back first, crushing him under its back. Siren coughed as he was pressed into the ground by the incredible weight of the Infected.

Tentacles surrounded his arms and his Blade disappeared, replaced by his Musclemass power. Pressing both his hands and his legs against its back, Siren began pushing with all his might. Slowly, the creature was lifted from the ground. With a final heave, Siren pushed the creature off of him, causing it to rise a few feet into the air before slamming back down next to him.

He rolled away from it before looking down at his hands in surprise. That was easier than he expected it to be. Other than the eerie red light that shown from the crevices of the tentacles that made up his limbs, Siren was unaware of any other changes to his body. Apparently, he was wrong in assuming that only his appearance was affected.

Come to think of it, he _had _felt a little faster when he fought the girl in the ski mask.

_What's happening to me? Ever since that blackout from before…_

He was pulled from his thoughts as the Infected began standing up once more. His eyes narrowed as the creature swung a massive fist at him the moment it stood up. He jumped over the Infected, landing behind it once more. This time, he dashed forward, grabbing the creature's right leg and jumping back.

The Infected tumbled forward, and Siren began pulling with all his might. After a few seconds, the leg was ripped clean off and Siren jumped back. Despite the missing limb, the Infected _still _hauled itself to its feet. It raised both fists above its head and slammed them down on the ground.

This time, Siren was able to get away as more, even larger, red and black spikes erupted from the ground. He sprinted forward, jumping as he neared the Infected. His arms transformed into his Hammerfists and he raised them over his head, much like the Infected had done.

He descended upon the Infected and slammed both Hammerfists down in its head. The creature's head was crushed from the impact and it fell to the ground in a broken heap. Tentacles erupted from Siren's body and began consuming the beast. Red mist rose from both him and the Infected as he consumed it, engulfing the two of them.

About seventy percent of the creature was consumed as Siren stepped back, his body covered in tentacles. He fell to his knees as he felt biomass rushing to his Hammerfists. The red mist had stopped rising from the Infected, but now, twice as much rose from Siren's kneeling form.

His Hammerfists began growing in size, the spikes on his knuckles lengthening and sharpening. Large tentacles leapt from his shoulders and connected to his neck, while other snaked downward along his sides. He could feel the weight of his Hammerfists increasing as they grew, but he also felt the tentacles that connected to his neck and sides were helping him support the added weight.

Soon, the process finished and Siren rose to his feet. He looked down at his new Hammerfists. They were larger and more intimidating now, but they also looked sturdier, harder, _stronger_. Smaller spikes protruded from just above his elbows, stretching out away from his body.

He was aware of the other, lesser, Infected closing in on him. He craned his neck as he turned to them. He raised both Hammerfists up to his shoulders and slammed them into the ground, sending dozens of tendrils through the ground. Dozens of spikes quickly rose from the ground in a cone-shaped pattern, ripping through the Infected with ease.

Siren retracted the spikes and stood up straight once more.

_Well, that's more effective than the Ground Spike from my Claws for sure…_

Siren's eyes widened as he heard it; the sound of something heavy landing on the ground. He turned around as a wave of dust and rocks exploded before him. After the dust settled, a single figure rose from its kneeling position.

A pair of bloodshot, blue eyes peered at him from beneath a head of dirty blond hair.

"Mercer," growled the man.

***Page Break***

Rika kicked off another rooftop as she made her way towards the apartment. While she was moving through the city, knocking aside anything that stood in her path, she had noticed somebody else leaping from rooftop to rooftop.

She immediately followed the stranger. She made no attempt to conceal her presence, but the distance between her and her target prevented the stranger from detecting her.

Rika didn't know if this figure was Siren Mercer, but at this point, she didn't care. She'd find out when she got close enough to the figure.

Despite her incredible strength, she followed her target with surprising grace. She jumped about like a jungle cat, slowly closing the distance between her and her target. Her burning fury screamed at her to call out, but her rational side knew that whoever this was, they'd probably mistake her for one of the screaming civilians down below, if they even heard her to begin with.

It wasn't long before the figure began slowing down, their jumps from building to building becoming smaller and more careful. Soon, the figure landed on one building and stayed there. Rika grinned. _Finally_, she could get the revenge she so dearly craved.

However, her face turned to one of confusion as the figure transformed into red haired woman and jumped to the ground. The figure then began running up the external steps of the building she had landed on.

Rika landed on a nearby rooftop, watching the figure intently. She watched as the red haired woman knocked on a door in a frantic manner, until somebody opened it. Rika's eyes widened as she recognized the boy who had greeted Siren at the clothing store.

The woman tumbled in, wrapping her arms around the boy. Rika frowned. Siren Mercer had said that there were others like him and that _they_ were the ones behind the outbreak. Was this one of those people? Was this one of the other shape shifters? It must have been; Rika had just watched this person change into a woman with a completely different appearance.

Rika leapt towards the room she saw the red haired woman enter. She landed on the ground in front of the building and jumped up to the level on which the door was. As she looked inside, she saw the boy get yanked back by a girl who looked _a lot_ like one of the Level 5 espers of Academy City; Misaka Mikoto. Rika's eyes widened as she saw the woman's right hand. It looked very similar to the Whipfist she saw Siren Mercer use during their battle.

Her eyes widened as the woman transformed into a…

_THAT'S A BLACKWATCH SOLDIER!_

Rika's eyes narrowed in hatred. Blackwatch was a group that did more harm than good; a group that deceived the public into thinking that it was the hero. But she knew better; Blackwatch were as twisted as the monsters spawned by the virus. Even so, this guy, or girl, might have useful information, that, and he might be behind the outbreak, which automatically put him on her shit list.

Rika made her way into the room, walking up behind the soldier as he spoke.

"The information would be useless to you. The dead have no use for knowledge," said a man's voice. Yup; definitely male. Rika smirked as she made her way to him.

"You may be right, but _I _need the knowledge you have far more than you do," she taunted from behind him.

The soldier quickly turned around as Rika grabbed him. She rolled onto her back and planted her feet on his chest and kicked him off towards the door. She jumped back to her feet and jerked her head towards the people who the soldier had been talking to; the boy with the spiked hair, the Misaka look-alike, or perhaps the real deal, and a girl who wore a nun's outfit.

"All of you; stay here and stay quite! Don't open the door for _anybody_. I'm going out there to finish that freak off!"

With that, Rika sprinted out the door with anger in her eyes and a fire in her heart.

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Hammerfist Infected: Some of you may recognize this enemy from Prototype 2. It's the Juggernaut for those of you who don't know the name or haven't played the game (which you should, even if the story is absolute trash).**

** Rika's Not So Happy Life: For some, it may look as though Rika has worse luck than Touma. Yes, I know she's suffering a lot in this fic, but hey, most great heroes, and villains, along with anti-heroes have tragic events that shape them.**

** Ground Spike: This is the name given to the attack the player is capable of performing in both [Prototype] and Prototype 2. In [Prototype], the player could use the Ground Spike attack when they had the Claw power equipped. In Prototype 2, the Ground Spike could be used when the player was using the Hammerfists.**

** Upgraded Hammerfist: It's evolution my dear Watson.**

** Infected Possessing Powers: Why? That'll be explained in the story.**


	16. Chapter 16

DISCLAIMER: YOU ALL KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS BY NOW.

**MASSIVE APOLOGY for all these delays. The trip to Michigan was the main cause, but I had something come up shortly after getting home. Again, I apologize for all these delays; know that I am trying to get these chapters out when I can.**

**Chapter 16**

**The Plan**

"Mercer," growled the man.

Siren's eyes narrowed as he glared at the man who had just arrived. The bloodshot, blue eyes that glared back showed no signs of fear or hesitance. As the man stood to his full height, Siren took a moment to study him more. He wore green jacket that covered a sweatshirt of a similar color. His blue jeans covered every part of his legs and his brown shoes tapped against the street as he took a step forward.

The man stopped in front of Siren, looking him in the eyes. He was of average height, standing at about the same height as Siren.

The two viral creatures stared at one another for a few seconds before the blond man spoke.

"We don't have to be enemies, you know."

Siren frowned. "You come in here, unleash the virus, which _I_ get blamed for, and then you watch as the Infected tear the city apart. Right now, this city was a place where I could remain without alerting Blackwatch; people with powers aren't an abnormality here. So as far as I'm concerned, we're enemies."

The blond man shook his head. "We share in your hatred of Blackwatch. We _know_ what they are and what they've done. When we're done, there will be no more Blackwatch. You'll be free, we'll _all_ be free. The world will know of Blackwatch's crimes; we'll make sure everyone knows before we wipe them off the face of the planet. Don't you see? We fight against the same enemy; we struggle against the same evil. We should be working together for the benefit of all. Instead, we bicker like children, killing each other and causing mass destruction that should be directed towards Blackwatch."

Siren said nothing as he listened to the man. He must have taken Siren's silence as a queue to continue, and so he did. "Some of the others want nothing more than to beat you to death for all the delays you've caused, but I don't. If you joined us, we'd advance so much further than if we had to take you captive. I have no desire for revenge, I simply with to see our kind evolve into what we were meant to be; into what the humans failed to become."

Siren's Hammerfists slowly faded as tentacles surrounded them and rebuilt his arms in their ordinary state. He crossed his arms as soon as they were normal once more.

"Craig didn't seem to have the same mindset. He seemed to want to kill me as much as he wanted me to join you all. Why should I believe anything that comes from your mouth?"

"Craig was less than sane and he was not the right person to send here to try and convince you."

"And yet, here we are, standing in a city that's being overrun by the Infected; it's a miracle this street is so calm to begin with. Even if Craig was insane, he didn't pull anything this drastic. If he was insane, but more subtle than you, what does that say about _your_ mental state?"

The blond man smirked. "Releasing the Infected was to help add to our ranks. We are strong, but we do not have an infinite supply of foot soldiers. But look where this has taken the city; the moment they see the Infected, who do they blame?"

Siren said nothing.

"_You_. They blamed _you_. Why? Because you're _different_. Your powers are not those of an esper or a magician," the main explained. Siren blinked in surprise when the man mentioned magicians, but his face quickly returned to a neutral expression.

"The human race will always be wary of us. Is that the kind of existence you want? A life where every living thing is against you? That's not what the Evolved wanted. We are the new generation; the new creatures that will inhabit this planet. The world of today cannot cope with creatures like you and me. So, to remedy that, the Two have devised a plan to wipe out the world's current inhabitants; _then_ we can rebuild from scratch."

"The Two?" Siren asked.

"It is the name that some of us use when speaking about our leaders. Those of us who are sent out on missions do not know the identity of the leader of the Evolved; we answer to the lesser of the Two. The lesser is our personal boss, while the greater is the ruler of the Infected and the Evolved. With his power, he established the city that we now call home; the city where you and I can exist without Blackwatch troops around every corner. If you joined us, you'd stand alongside the Two; your unique DNA would make you invaluable. With your help, the Evolved would rise to new levels, and you, along with the Two, would rise to godhood."

Siren felt a few rain drops as they fell from the dark skies of the night. "Your DNA is the key to _all _of this. It's the reason we need you. The Evolved need one more thing to let them ascend, they need the _one_ thing we lack; you. Without you, we can't initiate the plan."

Siren's eyes widened as everything began falling into place. "You need me so that you can all achieve the same feats as the Prototype…"

The man nodded. "Almost all of the Evolved lack the raw physical strength of a Prototype. They lack the speed, the advanced shape shifting abilities, they are simply _less_. In order to take our position as the apex being on this planet, we need to push the Evolved to new heights."

"And my DNA will…"

"Allow us to merge each and every Evolved with REDLIGHT and BLACKLIGHT. They'd _all_ become Prototypes."

"And you think I'd _want_ that?!" Siren snarled.

"We don't expect this for free; especially not from you. In order to compensate, DNA samples from the Two will be used to push _you_ further. You'd rise beyond the Prototype; you'd become a _god_. Don't you see? This is the Earth's destiny. The world will be saved from humanity; it will be conquered by the spawn of the virus. No more threats of nuclear warfare, no more idiotic conflicts between countries, no more of any of that!"

Siren jumped back, his hands changing back into his Hammerfists. "I think I've heard enough from you. I've listened to what you have to say, and I don't like it. The world doesn't need any more Prototypes; it can make do with one."

Siren narrowed his eyes and bent his knees. "I. Am. The Prototype."

The blond man shook his head. "Do you truly believe that after all this time, you're _still_ the only one?"

Siren's eyes widened.

His gaze was met with the cold, blue eyes of the blond man. "You're one of _three_ Prototypes, Mercer."

***Page Break***

Rika landed with a roll on the street, stopping a dozen feet from the Blackwatch soldier who she had kicked out the door.

The man slowly rose to his feet, before dusting off his shoulders and looking at Rika. "Well, if it isn't Blackwatch's Little Fuckup. How's the family? Oh wait…," he teased with a dark chuckle.

"If you pass them on your way to hell, you'll have to ask them for me," Rika snarled. "Are you the one who unleashed the virus? Are _you _the one who killed my mother and sister?!"

The Blackwatch soldier shook his head. "No and no. One of the others spread the virus and killed your parents. However, I _may_ know who it was."

Rika's eyes widened. She didn't really mean that as a question; she fully expected this man to be the one who had unleashed the virus, but…

"Others?" she asked unsurely.

The soldier's shoulders shook slightly as he gave another short chuckle. "You think I'm _alone_? Blackwatch's failure to eradicate the viruses led to them spawning _hundreds _upon _hundreds_ of Infected. On top of that, the viruses created what we call the Evolved. Think of us as ascended Infected. We have their powers, but have kept our human intelligence."

Rika looked at the…Evolved before her. Siren was right; there were _more_ of these monsters running around. Rika's mouth twisted in a snarl. "I'll eradicate every last one of you parasites," she hissed.

The Evolved laughed. "Oh that's just _rich_! What, did Blackwatch pump your mind full of their liquid death as well as your body? Do you fight for Blackwatch like a good little super soldier?"

Rika's eyes widened.

"Oh don't look so surprised. As you can tell by the uniform, I was once part of Blackwatch myself. Although, this uniform is pretty outdated, I heard the new ones have MUCH better gear. I'm sure you've seen the new uniforms; you must have had a great view during the whole Project Orion ordeal."

"That's enough!" Rika snarled. How did this guy even _know_ that she was part of Project Orion?! "Project Orion is a thing of the past! Blackwatch has no authority over me and you have no business sticking your nose into my past! This ends here!"

Rika leapt forward, swinging her right fist towards the Evolved. He jumped back with speed that she had not anticipated and brought his foot down upon her head. Rika grunted as she was knocked to the ground. She rolled away as the Evolved's foot came crashing down on the spot where her head had been.

She jumped to her feet, quickly taking note of the Evolved's limbs as they changed into Whipfists. The Evolved swung his arms, the chains on each arm extending. The bladed tip of each chain embedded itself in a car, and the Evolved swung his arms forward, sending both cars crashing towards Rika.

She jumped out of the way as the cars rolled by, taking note of the sound of the shrieks of the Infected in the distance. If this got too out of hand, she might end up drawing attention from the Infected. She looked back towards the Evolved, just in time to see a Whipfist racing towards her.

She stretched out of the way as the Whipfist soared by. Her hands shot out and she grabbed the chain, yanking the Evolved towards her. He grunted as he was jerked towards Rika. The black-haired teen kicked out with her left foot as the Evolved neared her in an attempt to break a few of his ribs. However, the Evolved's other Whipfist shot out behind him, anchoring him to the ground. He stopped a few feet short of Rika, a short laugh escaping his lips. If she could see his face, Rika was sure he'd be smiling.

The Evolved yanked his Whipfists towards himself, forcing Rika to relinquish her grip on one of his Whipfists to avoid being dragged towards him. As the Whipfists retraced, she took note of how they differed from Siren's. While Siren's tentacles were black and red, these were almost purely red. She didn't know if this was a significant difference, but it was there.

Abruptly, the Evolved began sprinting towards her, drawing back his Whipfists and throwing them both forward at the same time. Rika ducked as both Whipfists sailed over her head, a small smirk touching her lips.

_This may not be the one who killed them, but it doesn't mean I can't enjoy beating the living shit out of him. Besides, I'm sure he'll be more willing to…elaborate on what he knows if he's faced with the threat of death._

Rika grinned as she charged forward. She couldn't see it, but, beneath the mask, the Evolved was grinning as well.

***Page Break***

Siren stared at the blond man in shock. "_Three_?! There are _three_ Prototypes?!"

The blond man grinned. "Yes, _three_. But even with the other two on our side, we still don't have enough power to initiate the plan."

Siren raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "If you have two other Prototypes, why do you need me? Can't you just use their DNA to merge the Evolved with the viruses?"

The blond man shook his head. "The Evolved are infected with mostly REDLIGHT. Both of the other Prototypes are incarnations of the REDLIGHT virus, even if they do have a sizable amount of BLACKLIGHT within them. They're both viruses, like you, but they are different viruses. The bottom line is their DNA can't be used to create more Prototypes among the Evolved because there are too many similarities between the DNA samples. However, _you_ are BLACKLIGHT. Even if you have some REDLIGHT in you, you're still the BLACKLIGHT virus. In order to create Prototypes, we have to merge the existing Evolved with your DNA. The Evolved already have some BLACKLIGHT in them, but those samples aren't original BLACKLIGHT ones; they've already had major contact with REDLIGHT. The Evolved have a mix of pure REDLIGHT DNA along with a bit of…well…DNA that was created from the merging of miniscule samples of BLACKLIGHT and REDLIGHT."

"I've consumed countless Infected, many of which were created by REDLIGHT. By now, I probably have enough REDLIGHT in me to throw off this 'original DNA' that you're going on about," Siren replied. He was growing more concerned by the second. The Evolved seemed to be more advanced than he had anticipated, and now there was the issue of the other Prototypes.

The blond man shook his head. "You may have consumed many samples of REDLIGHT, but, you are still the BLACKLIGHT virus. In our cases thus far, the REDLIGHT samples consumed the lesser BLACKLIGHT samples and took on some of the aspects. In your case; it's the opposite. By now, you're the only sample of BLACKLIGHT that would allow us to create any more Prototypes."

Siren's eyes narrowed.

_This…this is bad. Whoever is behind all of this has taken this to a whole new level. The Evolved are bad enough, but if all of them became Prototypes…nothing on Earth will be able to stop them for good…_

Siren focused on the man before him.

_I need his memories; I need to know exactly what I'm dealing with. He'll have knowledge of the Evolved and the other two Prototypes. _

"Mercer, I'm giving you one last chance to cooperate. Come with us; _join_ us, so that we may fulfill our destiny. If you refuse, I will have to drag you there; don't make me do that."

Siren said nothing as he stared at the blond man. Wordlessly, he began walking forward. His pace increased and tentacles surrounded his arms. His Hammerfists slowly faded, and as he neared the man, he leapt forward, swinging his newly-formed Blade in a wide arc. The Evolved vaulted over Siren, an annoyed expression on his face.

Siren whirled around to face the Evolved. The Evolved shook his head in disappointment before red tentacles surrounded his arms. Within seconds, both his arms were covered in red tentacles and his hands were replaced by what looked like smaller versions of Siren's Blade.

Siren dashed forward once more, his feet leaving small craters in the ground as he moved. He swung his Blade forward, just as the Evolved swung his twin Blades to intercept.

Sparks flew into the air as the weapons clashed with enough force to shred metal. The Evolved grunted slightly as his Blades met Siren's, but he began pushing back with strength that surprised Siren.

_He's stronger than Craig…_

The thought stole Siren's attention for a moment, and that was all that the Evolved needed to attack. He kicked out with his right foot, hitting Siren in the left knee. Siren's leg bent backwards, something that would have ended the battle had he been a human with actual bones.

Siren stumbled backwards, his leg snapping back into place. The Evolved took the opportunity to spin around, reaching out with his Blades and slashing Siren's neck. Siren flew backwards from the impact, once again surprised by the Evolved's raw physical strength.

He rolled to a stop, blood pouring from his neck onto the wet street. As the wound healed, he glared at the Evolved. "I thought you said the Evolved were inferior to Prototypes. You seem to be faring just fine so far."

The Evolved shrugged. "I said _most_ Evolved are inferior; some of us are a cut above the rest. The most loyal and trustworthy Evolved are given some DNA from the lesser of the Two. Basically, we're not Prototypes, but we're definitely closer to them in status than the rest of the Evolved."

"Why only a few of you?"

"If all the Evolved had the same level of power as us, there might be an uprising. Our leaders want to maintain control and the easiest way to do that is to make sure they're more powerful than those that they rule. However, once they have some of your DNA, they can ascend. Then we can turn the rest of the Evolved into Prototypes without worry."

Siren gritted his teeth. The night seemed to be getting worse and worse as it dragged on. With a grunt, he leapt into the air, his Blade transforming into Hammerfists. He lifted both limbs over his head as he descended, aiming for the Evolved.

The Evolved jumped back as Siren smashed into the ground. A small smirk formed on Siren's face as he sent dozens of tentacles through the ground. The Evolved yelped in surprise as massive, blade and red spikes rose from the ground in a circle around Siren. Some of the spikes tore through the Evolved, lifting him into the air.

As the spikes retraced, Siren's arms were already changing. His Hammerfists were now gone, replaced by his Whipfist. He swung the extendable appendage forward, the bladed end flying toward the Evolved as he hauled himself to his feet.

Just as the blade-tipped end of the Whipfist reached the Evolved, he held up his twin Blades in a cross, blocking the weapon. As it bounced off his Blades, he twisted them around and managed to catch the Whipfist before Siren could retract it.

The Evolved yanked the Whipfist towards him, causing Siren to be yanked forward with it. Siren managed to skid to a stop a few feet in front of the Evolved, but he was too late to retreat. The Evolved jumped forward, drop kicking Siren in the chest.

Siren coughed as he was pushed back. The force of the kick wasn't enough to cause any real harm, but it was enough to stun him. He looked up as he heard the Evolved jump into the air. His eyes widened and before he could react, the Evolved descended upon him, swinging his Blades in a downward arc.

Both of the Blades connected with Siren's shoulders. Siren's eyes widened as he felt the Blades cutting through him, and before he knew it, both his arms fell to the street. He looked down at the Evolved who was now kneeling before him, just in time to see him jump forward, swinging his Blades in an upwards arc.

The Blades ripped through Siren's chest, and the force of the attack sent Siren flying backwards. The lack of arms prevented him from properly steadying himself, resulting in him bouncing across the street before coming to a stop against an abandoned car.

He looked towards the Evolved that was walking towards him, blood dripping from his Blades.

It was then that Siren saw the rooftops.

Dozens of Infected lined them, _watching_ the fight between the two shape shifters. Siren's eyes widened. Whoever unleashed the virus seemed to be able to control these creatures, and that meant…

_There's an army just waiting for its leader to tell it to attack. And the prime target seems to be me…_

***Page Break***

Mikoro stared at her computer screen in worry. Shortly after the mysterious girl had kicked the Evolved out of the room, Mikoro had shut and locked the door, then proceeded to run to her computer. She had been watching the fight between the mysterious girl and the Evolved for a few minutes before she realized that they weren't the only ones fighting.

On another camera, she could see two figures standing in a strangely empty street. It took her a few seconds to realize that one of the figures was Siren. She didn't recognize the other one, but judging by Siren's combat stance and Hammerfists, he was probably an enemy.

She watched them talk for a little while before Siren finally attacked. Instead of using his Hammerfists, he had decided to use his Blade.

As Mikoro watched, it became clear that the other shape shifter was no pushover. He seemed to have what looked like twin Blades, both of which were smaller than Siren's, and he obviously possessed physical strength and speed that rivaled Siren's. Her eyes widened as she watched the two figures fighting, but her jaw dropped when the Evolved sliced both of Siren's arms off.

She watched in horror as Siren was sent flying by another one of the Evolved's attacks, crashing into an abandoned car. She looked over to the Evolved that was walking towards Siren, but her attention was quickly drawn to the rooftops by slight movement.

Her hands trembled slightly as she saw the dark figures that lined the rooftops. She was instantly reminded of her nightmare; the nightmare that Siren had awoken her from. Now it was the opposite; Siren was the one who was trapped, but unlike he had done for her, she couldn't help him now.

***Page Break***

Rika grunted as the Evolved's Whipfist dug into her stomach. He jerked her forward, swinging the Whipfist on his left arm towards her. The blade-tipped end crashed into her face, the sharp metal wreaking havoc on her skin.

She gritted her teeth and spun to the side, causing the Evolved to be flung forward. She reached out with her right leg, delivering a bone crushing kick to the Evolved's face. He tumbled backwards, his Whipfist ripping out of Rika's stomach.

She jumped back, her body quickly healing the injuries she sustained.

_These…'Evolved', as Mercer called them, really do have powers nearly identical to his._

The Evolved sprang to his feet, his knees bent and his body leaning forward. He drew back his right Whipfist and then proceeded to shoot it forward. The chain-like appendage shot towards Rika at speeds that rivaled Mercer's attacks. The black-haired teen was only barely able to dodge the weapon before the Evolved's left Whipfist came flying towards her.

Rika bent backwards and allowed the Whipfist to pass over her, the weapon barely missing her. She jumped up as the Whipfist retracted, once again facing her opponent. The Evolved craned his neck before speaking.

"Not bad, considering you're one of Blackwatch's cheap attempts at creating a living weapon to be used against us. Honestly, the whole Orion project was pitiful."

Rika narrowed her eyes. "Big talk coming from somebody that's some kind of cheap knock-off of Alex Mercer."

"And what exactly do you know about Alex Mercer? Actually, better question; what do you know of the one currently known as Siren Mercer?"

Rika frowned. "What's it to you?"

"He's a key; a key to a door that was built long ago. We plan on opening that door."

Rika raised an eyebrow. Before she could respond, the Evolved lashed out, swinging his Whipfists in wide arcs in an attempt to cut her down. Rika jumped into the air, dodging the Evolved's Whipfists.

_He's talking to distract me…_

Rika dived back towards the ground like a missile. The Evolved dived out of the way as Rika closed in, but he wasn't able to get out of the way fast enough. Rika's landing generated enough force to lift the Evolved off his feet and send him flying.

He crashed into the street, sending several Infected stumbling out of his way. Rika jumped towards him, her fist pulled back. Before the Evolved could counterattack, Rika punched him in the throat, causing him to gag and stumble backwards. Rika followed up by driving her knee into the Evolved's stomach, bringing him to his knees. As he fell, Rika raised her right arm over her head and brought her elbow down on the Evolved's spine.

Several loud cracks sounded throughout the area, much to Rika's satisfaction. She stepped back and looked down at the unmoving Evolved.

"Now, I know you're not dead, so I have a few questions for—"

Rika was interrupted as the Evolved sprang up, swinging his Whipfists in an upward arc. The Whipfists embedded themselves in Rika's chest and the Evolved flipped over Rika, yanking her in the process. As his feet hit the street, the Evolved threw Rika over his head, straight through an old brick wall.

Rika grunted as she tried to stand, but her efforts were cut short as the Evolved planted his foot on her chest, pushing her into the rubble beneath her.

"You should have been quicker," he told her. "I'm going to ask you this once; where is Siren Mercer?"

Rika glared up at him. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't bother telling you; I'd get nothing out of it."

The Evolved stared right back at Rika, his face hidden by the Blackwatch mask. "Good point."

He then raised his left Whipfist over his head, preparing to deliver a killing blow. "In which case, you are of no use to us."

He brought the Whipfist down, only to blink in surprise as Rika's hands shot up, catching the weapon, the tip mere inches from her face. Rika's left hand moved up the length of the Whipfist, grabbing onto the tentacles the made up the Evolved's shoulder. She yanked him forward while simultaneously pulling the end of his Whipfist outwards with her other hand.

The Evolved lost his footing and fell forward, allowing Rika to jump up and twist around until she was behind him. She maintained her grip on his left Whipfist, but now she planted her foot between the Evolved's shoulders and pulled.

On the first yank, nothing happened. The second time however, she felt something give, and she ripped the Whipfist off, stumbling back as the Evolved coughed and grunted.

He got to his feet with surprising speed, considering the fact that he just lost a limb. Turning to face her, he lifted his remaining Whipfist into the air, red mist rising off his body.

"RAAA!"

A small red cloud exploded around him, and a few seconds later, something slammed into her back, knocking her to the ground. She jumped up and spun around, only for her eyes to widen as she saw the Leader Hunter that stood before her.

The massive creature snarled at her and pawed at the ground, leaving long claw marks in the street. Rika jerked around and her eyes narrowed in anger when she saw a pool of blood, but no Evolved.

Turning once more to face the Leader Hunter, she bent her knees and leaned forward, just as the hulking beast let out a deafening roar and charged forward.

***Page Break***

He landed on a nearby rooftop, his arm fully regenerated. Tentacles surrounded his other arm, his Whipfist fading with the tentacles. He brought his hand up to his ear and pushed a small button that was covered by his mask.

"Fall back? Why?"

Within a second, a voice sounded from his earpiece.

"Laren has already located Mercer. I'm about to order him to lead him to the rest of us. You are to wait for further orders. Find a secure area and stay out of sight."

"Damn it," he cursed into the microphone that stretched down from his right ear. "The one time I want a search mission to take a while and Laren goes and completes it just like that."

"Your complaining won't provide any comfort. Get moving," the voice ordered.

"Whatever you say, A—"

"Only my equals are permitted to use my name. You will address me as the Supreme Regurgitator. Remember that, Grevin."

Grevin rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, _Regurgitator_."

***Page Break***

Siren slowly stood as the Evolved made his way towards him. Blood poured from what was left of his arms, forming in a pool at his feet.

With a grunt, Siren pumped biomass toward both his missing limbs, causing tentacles to burst forth. Within a few seconds, he had completely regenerated both arms and stood to his full height.

The Evolved seemed to hesitate, but then his head snapped towards one of Siren's arms that had been cut off earlier.

Realizing that the Evolved would be able to extract the necessary DNA from his limbs, Siren's right hand quickly transformed into a Whipfist, just as the Evolved dove for the detached limb. Siren shot his Whipfist forward, impaling the Evolved in the side. He yanked as hard as he could, lifting the Evolved off his feet.

Siren spun around and threw the Evolved over the car he had rested against only moments ago. The Evolved went tumbling across the street before sliding to a stop. However, Siren was already sprinting towards his detached limbs. He stomped on the first one, his body absorbing it in an instant, along with the blood left over, then proceeded to move to the other limb and repeated the process.

Satisfied that the Evolved wouldn't have enough DNA to work with, Siren turned to face him once more. The Evolved, who had been sprinting towards Siren, skidded to a stop a dozen feet in front of him.

The Evolved frowned in annoyance. "You're making this much harder than this has to be. Just come with us. Even if I can't convince you, I'm sure our leaders will be able to."

"Yeah, and if they can't, they just kill me on the spot," Siren growled.

The Evolved shrugged. "It would be for a good cause."

"Your cause is of no interest to me. As far as I'm concerned; _you_ are the enemy."

Siren swung his Whipfist; an attack that the Evolved dodged with ease. Siren followed up by activating his Musclemass power. With both arms strengthened by the Musclemass, he charged forward, red mist trailing behind him.

The Evolved's eyes widened and he jumped back, seemingly knowing that at the moment, Siren's physical strength surpassed his own. Siren's eyes narrowed in annoyance as the Evolved began sprinting away from him.

Siren took off after him, jumping over cars and noting the fact that the Infected on the rooftops were making to move to intervene.

_Can he call them down? Can he order them to attack me?_

Siren didn't know if these Infected were more powerful than the normal ones, but he didn't want to risk it. If the Evolved called down reinforcements…Siren might be forced to retreat.

Siren kept moving, slowly gaining on the Evolved. However, the difference in their speed was so minor that Siren knew that it would be a while before he caught up to the Evolved. The Evolved jumped towards a building, his feet slamming into the wall. He began running up the side, leaving cracks along the wall as he moved.

Siren followed the Evolved, mimicking his actions. As he reached the rooftop, he groaned in annoyance as the Evolved jumped to another, landing with a loud crash before jumping to the next rooftop.

Siren bent his knees and jumped as high as he could, stretching out his limbs and gliding forward. As he glided over the edge of a rooftop, he jumped down and ripped chunk of it off before jumping back into the air.

The moment he spotted the Evolved, he lobbed the chunk at him, hoping to slow him down. The Evolved jerked his head in surprise as the it crashed into a section of rooftop a few feet in front of him, forcing him to jump over it.

The Evolved missed the rooftop as he descended and plummeted to the ground, crashing into the street below. As he landed, he began moving again, sprinting past Infected and the occasional civilian or Anti-Skill member. Much to Siren's annoyance, the Infected moved aside when the Evolved came by, allowing him unhindered passage.

The two continued their chase throughout the city, with Siren growing more frustrated by the minute. He was tired of chasing a single, evasive target. At last, after several minutes, the two came to an open area and the Evolved skidded to a halt.

Siren stopped a few feet from him, an annoyed expression on his face. "Are you done running?"

The Evolved raised an eyebrow. "Running? Mercer, I think you've mistook running for _leading_."

Siren's eyes widened as he realized the meaning behind the Evolved's words, but before he could do anything about it, he felt something stab him between the shoulders. Pain exploded in his back, and for some, inexplicable reason, Siren's vision began fading. He felt himself losing biomass at an alarming rate and the color slowly faded from the world as it darkened.

He sank to his knees, and then collapsed on the street. He heard footsteps behind him, but the thing in his back didn't budge.

"Good work, Laren," said a cold, from behind him.

Even though Siren's vision was rapidly fading, he glanced up at the Evolved that he had been chasing.

_Laren…I'll remember that name…_

He was losing consciousness and he knew it. Even so, Siren desperately held on to it, attempting to stay awake long enough to find out what was in his back.

"It's sad to see how far he's fallen," Laren commented. Siren was barely able to make out his voice now. "Before, he wouldn't have fallen for a trap like this. He would have figured out that there were more Evolved in the city."

"It is sad," replied that same cold voice. Siren was able to make out a vague shape as it knelt down next to him. "But don't worry," said the voice. "We'll restore that which you have lost. We'll make you whole again, Alex."

A second before he slipped into unconsciousness, Siren heard the crackle of electricity and the sound of something being fired at extremely high speeds. The sound was familiar, but he couldn't…place…it…

His head finally fell and he finally lost consciousness.

***Page Break***

Mikoto grinned as the man she shot with her railgun was sent tumbling across the street. The tentacles that had reached out from his hand and impaled Siren came loose from her friend's back, but it was too late; it seemed as though Siren was either unconscious or…dead.

The other man, the blond one, jerked his head towards her direction. Before he could move, Kuroko appeared next to him. He jumped back, shouting in surprise, calling out to the others. Several more people jumped from the surrounding rooftops. Some charged towards Mikoto, while others sprinted towards Kuroko.

Kuroko placed her hand on Siren's shoulder and the two disappeared, only to reappear next to Mikoto.

"Grab on, Onee-sama!" she shouted while reaching out. Mikoto grabbed Kuroko's hand, and the trio disappeared, leaving behind a group of annoyed and slightly confused Evolved.

***Page Break***

Mikoro leaned back in her chair and sighed in relief. Next to her, Index and Touma sat down on the floor and let out their own sighs.

Mikoro looked back up at her screen. The Evolved were already coming together, checking on their leader, who got up like nothing had happened. Mikoro couldn't see the man who had been shot by Mikoto's railgun because he was surrounded by the other Evolved, but she could tell that he was still alive.

"Phew, for a second there, I thought he was done for," Touma said from behind her.

Mikoro nodded. "Yeah…me too."

The trio flinched as they heard another deafening roar from outside the apartment. Mikoro looked back to her monitor and looked towards the window that showed the fight between the mysterious girl and the Leader Hunter outside. She maximized the window and watched as the black haired girl fought against the Leader Hunter.

Mikoro gulped as the Leader Hunter batted the girl aside before rushing at her again.

"What happens if that thing kills her? Will it come after us?" asked Index.

Touma gritted his teeth beside her. "We can't sit here and do nothing! We just _have_ to help!"

Mikoro shook her head. "We'd only get in her way. Besides, if she wins but is heavily wounded, we'll be here to take her in."

"Speaking of heavily wounded, do you think Siren will be ok?"

Mikoro looked at her feet. "I—I don't know…He looked pretty bad back there…"

Mikoro felt panic building up in her chest as the possibility of Siren being dead became more than just a possibility. For all she knew, it was now a reality.

She placed her hands on her knees as she calmed down and sighed. Behind her, Touma and Index glanced at each other.

"Hey, you ok?" asked Touma.

Mikoro nodded. "Yeah, just…just worried."

In all fairness, she had very good reason to worry.

***Page Break***

"Onee-sama, he's not breathing…"

Mikoto began panicking. 'Not breathing' was definitely not a good thing to hear right now.

She knelt down next to Siren, holding her ear to his nose and lips. Indeed, the silver-haired teen was not breathing.

"No pulse either," Kuroko stated grimly.

Mikoto gritted her teeth as she stared down at Siren. The teen lay unmoving on the floor of the empty apartment that Kuroko had teleported them to.

"Onee-sama, I—I think he's dead…"

"No…no, no, no, he _can't _be dead he—"

A thought crossed Mikoto's mind.

_He doesn't need to breath._

"He doesn't need to breath," she whispered.

Kuroko stared at her in confusion. "What? What do you mean, 'he doesn't need to breath'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like!" Mikoto exclaimed in excitement. "He doesn't require air to survive and he's never had a pulse!"

By now, Kuroko was more than a little confused. "Onee-sama has truly lost it! Fear not Onee-sama, I'll get you to a hospital and make sure you—"

"A hospital, yes! We'll get him to a hospital where he can rest up and we can make sure there are no toxins or anything harmful inside him. We don't know if that guy injected him with something!"

"Onee-sama, he's _dead_. I'm sorry, but he's _dead_."

Mikoto sighed.

_Siren's going to HATE me for telling Kuroko this…_

"Kuroko, there's something I left out when I told you who he was," Mikoto began.

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "You said he wasn't an esper, but somebody with unique powers that was fighting against powerful bioweapons, just like the ones at work here, right?"

Mikoto slowly nodded her head. "Yes, but, I didn't tell you everything."

Kuroko frowned. "Why not?"

"Kuroko, Siren isn't, well, he, uh…he isn't…human. He doesn't need air to survive and as far as I know, he's never had a pulse."

Kuroko stared at her for several seconds before her palm met her face. "Onee-sama, now is _not_ the time to be joking!"

"Kuroko," Mikoto said with a completely serious expression. "I'm not joking."

When Kuroko looked at Mikoto, she was met with a Mikoro's serious stare. The realization slowly began sinking in. "You…you're _serious_? He's not human?"

"Dead serious."

Kuroko looked between Mikoto and Siren for a few seconds before her jaw dropped. "HE'S NOT HUMAN?! THEN WHAT IS HE?!"

Mikoto shook her head. "First, let's get him to a hospital to make sure he hasn't been injected with some deadly poison. There's still a 50-50 chance that he'll wake up."

"I'm assuming you are referring to the hospital that Judgment and Anti-Skill fortified?"

Mikoto nodded. "Yeah, the one we passed by not too long ago."

Kuroko nodded and put her hand on Siren's shoulder, while her other hand took hold of Mikoto's arm.

"Alright, but I want to know what this guy is after we've made sure there are no poisons in his body."

Mikoto gulped.

_Siren is NOT going to be happy at all when he wakes up…_

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Prototypes vs. Evolved: In my opinion, the Evolved and the Prototypes are two different things. The Evolved are people who have been infected with either REDLIGHT or BLACKLIGHT and have received powers because of that, while Prototypes are the viruses in the shape of humans and have more advanced powers because of that. In Prototype 2, Heller's description refers to him as The Prototype and as many of us know, Heller was A LOT stronger than the normal Evolved that players fought against in Prototype 2. On top of that, the Evolved seemed to have a more basic version of the powers that the player has. This all leads me to believe that Prototypes and Evolved are two different things.**

**Project Orion: This was the name of the project that encompassed the creation of Blackwatch's super soldiers.**

**Super Soldiers: They were basically really big, buff guys that had strength that was comparable to the Prototypes and Evolved. Think of them as a human version of the Hunters. It's worth noting that the super soldiers from both [Prototype] games were INCAPABLE of shape shifting. **

**Why Isn't Rika A Super Buff Guy?: To be explained…**

**What Was Done To Siren?: To be explained…**

**The Plan: Creating Prototypes from the Evolved? Yes, it's pretty crazy, I know, but it's a little more unique than "We want you to join us just so you can serve as some extra fire power during out takeover of the world." In all honesty, yes, the Evolved and the Prototypes are powerful, but against the ENTIRE human race along with countless nuclear weapons and other things, the Evolved and the Prototypes probably wouldn't be able to win. In this story, they're aware of this and are trying to make themselves more powerful in order to be able to take down the humans that they despise. And yes, in my opinion, if the world was aware of the threat posed by the Evolved and the Prototypes, most nations would band together to take them down (and example of this would be WWII, where several countries teamed up against Germany).**

**Scientifically Accurate?: Nope. If a scientist read this, they're probably cringe from all this sci-fi nonsense.**


	17. Chapter 17

DISCLAIMER; I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES, ETC, ETC. YOU ALL KNOW THE DRILL BY NOW.

**QUICK NOTE: For the stupidest of reasons, I spelled blond as **_**blonde**_** in the last chapter when referring to Laren. Yes, I understand that it's a pretty stupid mistake, so my apologies (I was, for whatever reason, thinking of the feminine way of saying blond in French, which is blonde, and no, I'm not French, I just study it). If you read this note but notice that the word is spelled correctly in the last chapter, then that means I've probably found the time to correct it.**

**ANOTHER NOTE: School starts Monday for me, but unless it's brutally difficult right from the get go, I should (hopefully) be able to keep updating at a **_**decent **_**pace. Sorry in advance for any future inconveniences. **

**Chapter 17**

**Resistance**

_"—incredible! He's actually moving!"_

He didn't recognize this voice. It sounded like an elderly man.

_"—I told you, Kuroko! He's still ali—"_

The voice slowly faded. It sounded so familiar; the name of the voice's owner was on the tip of his tongue.

He tried to move his head, but found himself able to only move his head a few centimeters before the action exhausted him. He couldn't open his eyes, either.

_"—ould be dead! This is remarkab—"_

That same elderly voice from before. The voices kept fading as he attempted to stay awake, or whatever state he was in right now.

Slowly, he felt himself slipping again.

_"—ang on Siren! You can't die! You'll get throu—"_

***Page Break***

"I have seen many things in my time, but this…this is simply incredible. By all accounts; he's dead. No heartbeat, no pulse, he's not breathing, no brain activity, _nothing_. And yet, he was moving," exclaimed the doctor.

Mikoto nodded. The balding doctor that stood before her wore a large, white doctor's coat and had the most peculiar, frog-like face. What little hair he had on his head was grey; a sign of old age, but Mikoto knew that this doctor's medical expertise would be able to help Siren.

In fact, Mikoto wouldn't allow Siren to be treated by anybody else; other doctors would probably freak out if they knew they were treating a sapient virus. She knew Siren would be furious with her for telling this doctor of his inhuman nature, but how else would she convince somebody to help him if they all thought he was dead?

The frog-faced doctor sighed. "Well then, as much as I'd like to go on about how incredible it is that he's still alive, there is an issue that needs addressing," he said while crossing his arms.

Mikoto and Kuroko stepped forward, both intent on hearing what the doctor had to say. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak. "From what I gathered from my conversation with Ms. Mikoro over the phone, Siren survives by consuming organic creatures. His body is constructed entirely of biomass and now, he seems to have very little of it. I assume that when that man stabbed him in the back, it was what caused Siren to lose dangerous amounts of biomass."

"So…he's starving?" asked Kuroko.

"In a way…yes. You see, the loss of massive amounts of biomass would probably equate to a mortal wound for him, but I imagine that if he survives by consuming biological material, and now he's very low on it, he would be experiencing something similar to starving."

"What if we got him to eat something? A couple of sandwiches, maybe?"

The frog-faced doctor shook his head. "Ms. Mikoro informed me that Siren doesn't eat normal food, but if he consumed a biological creature, it would accelerate his recovery. As we speak, his body is already working to replace lost biomass, but the damage is extensive. I found microscopic remnants of an extremely powerful acid within his body. This acid seems to have been eating away at him and is now preventing his body from properly healing. It won't kill him, but it's keeping him in an unconscious state. With time, he will recover, but without assistance, it could take days."

Mikoto nodded. "So we need to get him to consume something?"

The doctor crossed his arms. "That's one of the problems we face. I cannot, and will not, send two girls off to drag somebody in here, only so that whoever they bring can serve as a snack for our patient here. I do want to see Siren recover, but I refuse to sacrifice somebody. The other option would be to remove the acid from his body. That would take longer than allowing him to consume something, but it wouldn't require sacrificing someone, nor would it require something as dangerous as dragging an Infected here."

Mikoto frowned. "What happens if those people show up here while he's in this state?"

Now it was Kuroko's turn to frown. "What? You don't think you can take them on, Onee-sama?"

Mikoto shrugged. "I might be able to, but I don't want to risk getting infected by them. These people aren't pushovers; I'm sure they'll be tough to beat, so I'd rather have him," she gestured to Siren, "awake and about if those lunatics show up. Besides, we should help him either way. He _is_ fighting against those monsters as well."

There was a knock at the door. The frog-faced doctor turned to the girls. "I have other patients to attend to, I'm sorry. I'll begin work on Siren as soon as I can. In the meantime, get some rest and see if you can help out; there are plenty of people here, I'm sure you can help some of them."

Kuroko nodded. "Anti-Skill members are guarding the hospital; I'll go see if they have anything for me to do." She turned to Mikoto. "Call if you need me," she said before teleporting out of the room.

With that, the frog-faced doctor left the room, followed by Mikoto, leaving Siren alone on the hospital bed.

***Page Break***

Mikoro was worried. First there was the Evolved that broke into her room, then there was the girl that dragged him out, then there was the angry Leader Hunter right outside, and to top it all off, Siren had been incapacitated.

When she received the call from the doctor, Heaven Canceller, she had been on edge. Not because she didn't trust the doctor, but because she knew that something must have happened. As she had predicted, something _had_ happened. Siren had been incapacitated, by an acid, apparently. The doctor told her that Mikoto explained what Siren was in order to convince the doctor to help him. It took a moment for Mikoro to realize that since Siren didn't have a heartbeat, a pulse, and he didn't breath, he'd seem like a dead body to anybody if he had passed out. The only way to get the doctor to help was to tell the truth.

After telling her that he knew about Siren's unique nature, the doctor proceeded to ask questions about Siren and said unique nature in order to better understand him as a patient. She had been hesitant to answer any questions, mostly because she wasn't ruling out the possibility of the doctor being an Evolved in disguise, but she quickly realized that an Evolved would probably know more about Siren than she did in terms of his body and how it functions.

She hadn't heard from the doctor since, so she assumed that Siren had not yet been cured of what ailed him, but she had no doubt that the doctor would figure it out.

She was pulled from her thoughts as the Leader Hunter on her monitor roared at the girl who currently opposed it. Mikoro gulped. If that girl was killed, there'd be nothing to stop the Leader Hunter from killing them all.

***Page Break***

"Die already," Rika snarled at the Leader Hunter. To say that the beast could take a beating would be an understatement, but it wasn't as powerful as Mercer or the Evolved that she had been fighting. The creature was on its last legs, but its persistence was annoying Rika to no end. She had better things to do than kill the Evolved's pets.

Rika vaulted over the Leader Hunter as it swung a massive hand at her, its claws missing her by several feet. Once she landed behind it, she jumped into the air and slammed into its back, but with little reaction from the Leader Hunter.

The monster attempted to swat her off its back, but its arms simply couldn't reach her. She held on to the beast's sides, attempting to stay on it while it bucked around, trying to throw her off its back. At this point, it wasn't as much as fight as it was Rika trying to figure out how to kill this thing.

She had heard about how Alex Mercer would latch onto these creatures and consume them, but she didn't have such an ability. Besides, who would _want_ to eat giant, Infected monsters?

Rika was forced to jump off as the creature stood on its hind legs before slowly falling onto its back, crushing the street beneath it. As it attempted to drag itself to its feet, Rika jumped forward, slamming into the monster's stomach. The Leader Hunter's hide prevented her from ripping through to the bone and organs beneath; a defense that only aggravated her further.

Again, she was forced to jump away as the Leader Hunter began swinging its claws over its stomach in an attempt to rip her apart. When the Leader Hunter finally managed to stand, it snapped its jaws in her general direction before unleashing another roar.

The Infected charged her, the massive jaws opening to try and rip her to pieces. She leapt to the side, planting her hands on the street and pushing off. She then catapulted herself into the air, her feet making contact with a building wall. She grabbed onto the wall with her hands, never taking her eyes off the Leader Hunter.

Said Leader Hunter had already spotted her and had leapt towards her, its arms outstretched. Rika let go of the wall and fell to the ground, just as the Leader Hunter crashed through the wall, causing the small building to crumble on top of it.

Rika moved quickly, jumping on the Leader Hunter's back for a second time as it stood up. This time however, she grabbed onto its head as it stood and began yanking it back and forth. The creature roared in fury and began wildly shaking its head. Rika held on, and soon, the Leader Hunter began running around in anger. It wasn't smart enough to try and fall on its back a second time, something that Rika was grateful for.

As the Leader Hunter moved, Rika would jerk its head left or right and the beast would end up moving in that general direction. Slowly but surely, Rika began steering the Leader Hunter away from the buildings and towards a more open area. After a few minutes, she had finally gotten the Leader Hunter to a different area; one with more cars.

Rika leapt off the Leader Hunter's back, finally setting the creature free. The moment it felt her get off its back, the beast turned towards her. By then, Rika had already grabbed a nearby car and lifted it over her head.

She smirked as the Leader Hunter charged her. When it came close, Rika jumped into the air, sailing over the Leader Hunter's head. As it passed beneath her, Rika threw the car downwards with the front pointed towards the Leader Hunter. The car exploded on impact, finally penetrating the Leader Hunter's thick hide.

The Leader Hunter clumsily stumbled forward, giving Rika the chance to grab another car. This time, it was she that charged the Leader Hunter. Before the creature could react, Rika threw the car at its face, again, causing the car to explode from the impact. The Leader Hunter's clawed hands came up to its face, desperately trying to wipe away the burning shards that were embedded in its skin and skull.

Rika grabbed a third car while the Leader Hunter was distracted. This time, she didn't bother charging; the Leader Hunter was stationary at the moment and an easy target. Rika threw the third car, but unlike the first two, this one didn't explode. It crashed into the Leader Hunter's right arm, but without an explosion, the damage wasn't as severe.

Rika frowned and grabbed one more car. She looked around and was happy to see that she had a few more cars to work with, but that didn't mean she wanted to stand here all day and throw vehicles at this monster. On top of that, there were countless lesser Infected that had been drawn by the noise and were now making their way towards her.

Rika threw the car she currents held, and luckily, it exploded on impact. It had hit the Leader Hunter in the face, the explosion ripping through the hide and skull. It seemed as though this creature could only handle so many cars after taking a beating from Rika as well as having its head jerked about by her.

Rika had little time to be proud of her victory because the rest of the Infected in the area were closing in. The black-haired teen jumped into the air, making her way back towards the apartment that the Evolved had entered.

_The Evolved went to that apartment out of all places. The people there must have known something, but…what?_

***Page Break***

"You've _got_ to be fucking kidding me," a female Evolved growled.

Laren shook his head. "We got sloppy; simple as that. We let our guard down and those espers managed to retrieve Mercer."

The female Evolved leaned against a wall. "Do we have any more of that acid?"

"No," replied the Supreme Regurgitator from his position on the car behind Laren. "We only created one sample of it. Creating a second would have taken too long. Besides, as soon as he recovers, his body will mutate and become immune to the acid. A second sample would have been practically useless."

"Can't we modify the original formula, make it stronger?"

The Supreme Regurgitator shook his head. "The acid requires the Bloodtox in order to create it; we have no Bloodtox out here. The rest of it is back at the base."

The female Evolved grunted. "Damn it, I _told _you we should have created a stronger sample along with the first one."

"Oh shut up, Clara! You didn't tell anyone shit when we were creating the acid."

Clara narrowed her eyes. "_We_? Grevin, if I recall correctly, you weren't helping to create the acid; you were off prancing around with some of the weaker Evolved!"

As the two began arguing, the Supreme Regurgitator looked towards Laren. "Times like these that are what make me want to thank you for not being as immature as these idiots."

Laren nodded in response and moved to separate Clara and Grevin, who were practically at each other's throats by now. He grabbed both Clara and Grevin by their necks and shoved them apart.

"Shut up, both of you," he growled. "We don't have time for your idiotic arguments. We are all on the verge of becoming Prototypes and you two are clawing at each other like mindless animals."

Clara frowned and slapped Laren's hand away and turned around, her red hair trailing behind her.

Grevin simply grunted before stepping away from Laren. Before he could get far, the group heard a thump and looked up. Kneeling on the edge of the short wall was a black-haired Evolved.

"They've left the area; no way to tell where they ended up."

The Supreme Regurgitator frowned. "Damn it. I should have figured the teleporting one would be smart enough to carry them a good distance away before stopping to check up on Mercer."

The black-haired Evolved shrugged. "This shouldn't hinder us too much; even if Mercer wakes up before we get to him, I'm sure you can take him."

The Supreme Regurgitator sighed. "I'd have preferred him to be unconscious while we carry him back; it'd make things that much easier."

"We'll manage," Laren commented. He turned towards the black-haired Evolved. "How are the Infected?"

The black-haired Evolved smirked beneath his face mask. "They're overrunning most of the city. The majority of the population is already infected; the remainder has taken shelter, or is still taking shelter, and everyone is becoming more paranoid."

Laren nodded. "I have to say; I'm impressed. You're tinkering with the virus really has sped it up considerably. This is going much faster than New York."

"Thank you," replied the Evolved. "But the issue is the humans' main shelter. Somehow, they've created an…anti-Infected barrier."

Laren blinked. "Pardon?"

"Something is emitting an invisible force field. Some of the earlier Infected attempted to break through earlier in the outbreak; most went completely insane when they got close to the barrier, but the few who made it through were burned to a crisp. Now the Infected are refusing to step foot near that hospital."

The Supreme Regurgitator brought his hand up to his chin in thought. "There's no way the humans could have organized something like this so fast. Something's not right here…"

"You bet something's off," Clara piped up. "Even Blackwatch wasn't this fast when it came to fighting the viruses."

Laren shook his head. "No, that's not true. At first, the Anti-Skill troops were less organized than Blackwatch and that cost them a lot of men. They made easy meals for the Infected, but recently, they've changed. They've gotten surprisingly organized since the outbreak started. Someone, or something, must be helping them; something we didn't anticipate."

"You could be right," replied the Supreme Regurgitator. "Not too long ago, they were clueless and disorganized. Somebody must have given some kind of order that explained what to do in order to effectively combat the Infected. The question is—"

"Who gave the order?" Grevin finished for him.

***Page Break***

"She's coming here," said Mikoro as she stared at her computer screen. The girl had killed the Leader Hunter and was now making her way to her apartment, but for what reason, Mikoro didn't know.

Index looked over her shoulder, watching the girl on the cameras as she made her way to the apartment. Touma looked over Mikoro's other shoulder, a frown on his face.

"You think she's on our side?" he asked.

"I would hope so; we're not equipped to fight her if she's an enemy. But I doubt she's with the Evolved; she _was_ fighting that other Evolved after all."

Touma nodded. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

It wasn't long before the girl walked up to the door. As she got close, Touma got up and walked over to the door. Before the girl could interact with the door in any way, Touma had opened it for her.

She frowned. "You'd think that opening the door to a stranger only for it to be an Evolved would teach you to be more cautious."

Touma nodded to Mikoro's computer. "She had the cameras on screen so we saw your fight with the Evolved and the Infected; we know you're not one of them."

"Besides," Mikoro began while crossing her arms. "If you were with the Evolved you would have been able to obliterate that door and all three of us whether we liked it or not."

The girl blinked at Mikoro's comment. "You're…surprisingly modest for a Level 5 esper. Are you seriously the famous Misaka Mikoto?"

Mikoro blinked. "What? Mikoto?"

The girl slowly cocked her head. "You're not Mikoto…are you?"

Touma mentally face palmed.

_Well, there goes her cover._

Mikoro finally remembered that this girl didn't know that she was a clone of Mikoto, but it was too late to take back her words.

"I'm uh…I'm her twin, Mikoro."

"Twin? Huh, I had no idea Mikoto had a twin," the girl said with a suspicious expression on her face.

"She doesn't talk about me much," Mikoro quickly added.

The girl didn't seem to buy it at first, but eventually; she simply shrugged and continued speaking. "The Evolved; he ignored all the other houses on his way here. He came directly to you and walked right in. He was clearly after one of you, or perhaps all of you. My question is _why_? Why did that guy come after you three?"

Mikoro narrowed her eyes. "I don't think that's any of you business."

The girl sighed. "Look, I already know what that guy wants from Academy City, or rather, _who_. Now, I want to know if you three knew anything about who he was after or if he just _thought_ you knew something that had to do with his target. He obviously thought somebody here had _something _he wanted; otherwise he would have been out spreading the virus or something."

Mikoro glanced at Touma before looking back to the girl. "If you knew who're they're after; who is it?"

"Siren Mercer; silver hair, weird blue eyes, teenager, shape shifter, consumes people, blah, blah, blah."

Mikoro blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected this girl to actually know, but it seems as though this girl knew more than she let on.

Mikoro thought for a second before coming to a conclusion.

_She already knows about Siren. From the looks of things, she can't consume people, or shape shift for that matter, so I assume she can't take memories. I guess we could tell her…_

"We're friends of Siren's. He must have thought we knew Siren's location."

The girl's eyes widened. "You…you're friends of Siren? You know about him and his powers?"

"Yes," Touma said from behind the girl. "So why does this matter to you?"

The girl's fists clenched. "As much as I despise him and his disgusting kind, it seems as though he might be able to offer the best solution for destroying the Infected. That and he might know what these people are here for in the first place."

Mikoro narrowed her eyes. "Siren isn't like the Evolved who are spreading the virus. He's…different."

The girl frowned. "You can both explain some other time, but right now, we need to get you out of here. That Evolved knew where you are, so there's no telling how many more of them might show up. You three need to leave this place, _now_."

"Leave?" Touma asked. "And go where? The streets are crawling with Infected and there are few places left to take shelter."

"Actually," Mikoro began. "There's a hospital that's been fortified by Anti-Skill. Their members are guarding the hospital and there are plenty of civilians there who escaped the Infected. I saw it on one of the cameras, and from what I could tell it's not yet too overcrowded. It won't be the most comfortable of places, but we'll fit into the area if we don't waste time."

The girl walked over to her and looked at the computer screen. "Can you show me?"

Mikoro nodded and pulled up the window that showed the hospital. "Right here."

The girl looked at it for a few seconds before turning around. "I'm taking you three there. You'll be safe and you'll be able to relax a little; it's definitely safer there than here."

Touma frowned. "How do we know this isn't a trap?"

"Touma," Index began. All eyes turned to the short girl. For a second, nobody spoke. Then…

"Touma, I'm starving! Let's just go to that hospital because there's no food left here!"

Everyone stared at Index in disbelief at her childish behavior. This went on for a few seconds before Mikoro broke the silence by clearing her throat.

"Even if this is a trap, the Evolved are likely to return for us anyway. We might as well get out while we can."

The girl nodded. "Finally, somebody who gets what situation they're in instead of constantly screaming in disbelief! Come on, don't pack anything, I can't carry your belongings as well. I can get the three of you there, but you won't be able to bring anything."

Mikoro sighed. She didn't want to leave all her belongings, but there seemed to be no other choice. The only thing she grabbed was her cell phone before walking over the girl. She turned to Touma and Index.

"We might as well go. Are you guys ready to leave?"

Index's hand slowly went up. "Um, I have to go to the bathroom."

The black-haired girl groaned. "Hurry up."

As Index ran off to the bathroom, both girls leaned against the wall while Touma looked outside.

"By the way," the girl said, catching Mikoro's attention. "The name's Kazari Rika," she said while holding out her hand.

Mikoro slowly held out her hand after a moment's hesitation. "Mikoro, as you already know," she said while shaking Rika's hand. She couldn't understand why, but she had a feeling Rika was going to get more involved in their lives.

***Page Break***

"Here you go," Mikoto said as she gave the cup to the woman who sat just outside the hospital. The woman's left leg had been broken while she and her husband were escaping from the Infected, so when the woman asked Mikoto to bring her some water, the esper couldn't help but comply out of sympathy.

The massive, white hospital was already crowded with people who had serious injuries that hadn't been treated yet, so those with minor injuries or those with injuries that had already been treated were sitting outside the hospital.

Anti-Skill had set up blockades around the hospital but had left plenty of room for people to wander around the building without worrying about the Infected. Soldiers stood watch at every turn and snipers sat on the rooftops. Several small drones had been launched into the air, and so far, they had managed to keep the flying Infected out of the area.

There were countless people both inside the hospital and around it, a sign that the city's population hadn't been completely overrun, but it was clear that the majority of those who lived in Academy City had already succumbed to the virus.

Mikoto smiled as the woman offered a weak thank you before returning to her drink. The young esper turned around and began walking around the area, looking for signs of suspicious activity. She attempted to stay hidden or at least blend in because there was no telling who might be an Evolved in disguise. She had no intention of giving away their location by standing out, nor did she intend on leading the Evolved to Siren, who was still out cold.

She didn't totally understand why, but it seemed as though the Infected refused to invade this particular area. Everything behind the Anti-Skill blockades had been untouched by the Infected ever since people began pouring into the hospital for safety. She may not have understood it, but she wasn't going to complain about it.

As she walked, she passed by someone who, for whatever reason, looked oddly familiar. She turned her head towards the person she had passed and attempted to identify them. The girl she saw sat against a wall with an unreadable expression on her face.

However, before she could identify the girl, she turned her head, and the two locked eyes.

It was then that it clicked.

"You! You're that girl that Siren pulled out from that hole in the ground during the whole Golem thing!"

The girl with the long blond hair stared back at her. Her golden eyes widened behind her red glasses. "You were with them? You were one of the people responsible for helping me?"

Mikoto nodded. "Yeah, but it was Siren that got you out of that hole in the ground."

The girl broke out into a wide grin before jumping to her feet. "Is he here? I'd love to meet him!"

Mikoto's face fell and she shook her head. The blond girl seemed to realize that Siren's must not have been in the best of conditions, judging by Mikoto's expression.

"Oh, I see. I'm...I'm sorry for your loss," she whispered, scratching the back of her head.

Mikoto's head snapped up. "Oh no, Siren's not dead! He's just unconscious, but his condition is…unique."

The girl looked at her in confusion before slowly nodding. "Has he been…you know…_infected_?"

Mikoto shook her head. "It's complicated. Anyway, I never got your name. I'm Misaka Mikoto," she said while holding out her hand.

The girl grinned and shook Mikoto's hand. "You can call me Kotori," she said, the grin never leaving her face.

"So Kotori, how have you been since the whole…Golem thing?"

"Surprisingly well, actually. The doctors said there would be no lingering effects, but that I should take it easy for a while. I guess they didn't count on a massive zombie outbreak, heh heh."

Mikoto smiled at the girl's positive attitude. If more people were this positive about life, the world might be a better place. She opened her mouth to speak once more, but was interrupted by the sound of someone calling her name.

She looked over and her eyes widened as she spotted Mikoro. She had _completely_ forgotten about her during the recent events and had forgotten to send Kuroko after her!

_Oh gosh, I've gotta make sure she's not angry with me._

She blinked and felt her cheeks brighten as she saw the teen with the spiked hair that ran behind Mikoro. Kotori seemed to notice this as well because she gave Mikoto a playful nudge.

"See something you like? Or rather, someone?"

"NO! I don't like that idiot!" Mikoto screamed, attracting a lot of unwanted attention from those around her, causing her cheeks to redden further from the attention she was receiving.

_Damn it all._

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Acid: How exactly did the Supreme Regurgitator get that stuff into Siren's system? That'll be explained in greater detail later on.**

** Bloodtox: This was a chemical that only harmed the Infected and was introduced in [Prototype], but as far as I know, it wasn't used in Prototype 2.**

** Kotori: She won't really contribute to the story so you don't really have to bother remembering her. Think of her as a little spice for this chapter.**

** The Anti-Infected Force Fields: As you can guess, it'll be explained later on in the story.**

** The Frog-Faced Doctor: He was a doctor from A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun. He's willing to help just about anybody (regardless of who they are), so for those of you who are confused as to why a human is helping what could possibly one of the most dangerous bioweapons ever created, now you know why.**

** Who Gave The Order?: To be discovered…**


	18. Chapter 18

DISCLAIMER: YES, I STILL DO THESE DISCLAIMERS, NO, I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES (OR COVER ART) INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**A QUICK NOTE: Chapters might be shortened from now on; this is my attempt at keeping up a decent pace during the school year. I'm not taking about a 2k word chapters (hopefully), more like a 4 or 5 thousand word chapter as opposed to 7 or 9 thousand. **

**Chapter 18**

**A Dead Man's Name**

"I'M NOT HUMAN."

**Countless images flooded his barely conscious mind.**

"THE REVELATION. IT FREED ME. IT KILLED ME."

**An image of Alex Mercer.**

"I'M NOT HUMAN. HEH, ALEX IS JUST A ROLE I PLAY. PART OF ME WAS RELIEVED. PART OF ME DIED. JUST ANOTHER DISGUISE, RIGHT? SO INGRAINED, SO REAL EVEN I BELIEVED IT."

**Suddenly, without warning, the scene changed. Time seemed to fast forward in this…movie that was built from memories. Countless battles, innumerable deaths; it all passed by in the blink of an eye. Then…**

"I WANTED SOMETHING MORE. SOMETHING TO CALL MY OWN. I FOUND MY ANSWER IN THE FORM OF DEATH. AND REBIRTH."

**The hospital. It was **_**the **_**hospital. The hospital where **_**he **_**had awoken. No memories to guide him, nobody around to explain to him. Just a note. One single note.**

Siren's world slowly slipped into nothingness and he felt the strange, death-like sleep overtake him once more.

***Page Break***

Rika looked towards the heavily guarded hospital. People sat around the exterior of the building and Anti-Skill troops and vehicles formed a barricade around the perimeter of the area, creating a sizable area for the civilians to move around.

Her eyes narrowed. If anything, it looked like an ordinary blockade.

_So what's keeping the Infected out and…what happened to me?_

When she had neared the hospital while carrying Touma, Index, and Mikoro, she began experiencing inexplicable pain in her head. She had dropped the trio off and stayed behind, assuring them that she would be alright.

As the trio had left, she had attempted to get closer to the hospital. She noticed that as she got closer to the building, the pain in her head began increasing dramatically. She was eventually forced to turn back and put some distance between her and the hospital. As she left the area, the pain began subsiding, but that only served to add fuel to the fire that was her curiosity.

She now sat atop a rooftop, watching the hospital. There were few Infected in this area; probably the work of Anti-Skill troops and whatever was stopping the Infected from reaching the hospital. Some people walked about, attempting to make the best of the situation they were in. Others sat on the ground, their faces masks of worry and fear. She could see the girl, Mikoro, run up to her twin as the two began talking.

The sound of a helicopter caused her to jerk her head to the sky. A black helicopter flew overhead, hovering high above the hospital grounds. She watched as a large crate was lowered via rope towards the hospital, several Anti-Skill members running towards it in order to make sure it landed safely.

She frowned. If there were helicopters, why didn't they simply evacuate everyone? Were the flying Infected that big of a threat?

_Anti-Skill must not want to risk the civilians' lives by flying them out in the open…_

She stood up and turned away, jumping off the edge of the building. She sailed into the air, her black hair whipping around behind her from the rush of air. She reached out with her right foot and kicked off a building wall. The action sent her body to the left, directly towards an open street.

Infected shuffled about below her, devouring the corpses of anyone unlucky enough to get caught in their broken and mutated hands.

Rika landed in the middle of a small group of Infected, the impact from her landing throwing them aside like dolls. She began sprinting forwards, knocking aside anything that came too close.

_Whoever spread this virus and killed Mom and Sarah is still out there. _

Her eyes narrowed in rage.

_ And I'm gonna make them pay._

***Page Break***

Mikoro slowly poked her head in the room. It was a plain one; white walls, a window, hospital equipment, a bed, nothing special. Siren currently lay on the bed, his body as motionless as a corpse. She walked over to him, allowing the others to walk in the room. As she neared him, she quickly looked him up and down.

He looked exactly the same as when she last saw him, minus the fact that he now had an unknown acid in his system.

"The doctor said that he'll stay like this until the acid is removed from his system," Mikoto said from behind her. Mikoro nodded in response to the other girl's words.

"What kind of acid could hold someone like him down? I thought he's able to mutate and evolve in order to build immunities," Touma commented as he neared Siren.

"The people who injected him with that stuff must have known more about him than we did. I'm willing to bet the acid was made for him, or at least for the Infected," Mikoro replied.

She turned to Mikoto. "Did you see the one who injected him with the acid?"

"I saw his clothing from behind, but not his face."

"What did he look like?" Index asked.

Mikoto thought for a second. "Well, he had black pants and a dark red jacket. I think his shoes were…brown? I don't know. He looked bald, but like I said, I didn't see his face. But the weird thing was his skin. I saw his hands and the back of his head, but the skin…it was…grey…colorless. The other people there at least looked normal, but this guy…he was something else."

Mikoro nodded. "I'm willing to bet that was their leader. At least we have a little knowledge about his appearance. This might help us find him after Siren wakes up. In the meantime, we might as well help out the people at this hospital; they look like they could use it."

The others nodded and they walked out of the room. Mikoro threw a glance over her shoulder at Siren, her expression one of worry from seeing her friend incapacitated like this. With a sigh, the brown-haired clone left the room.

***Page Break***

"He looks…young. I have to say, I'm surprised by his appearance."

"Yes, I am inclined to agree. My first time seeing him brought on a level of confusion for a few moments," the voice replied over the phone. "What do you think? Can he hold his own against the ones responsible for this?"

"I have no way of knowing. I've yet to see the others display their abilities. Perhaps, once he fights them, I'll have a better understanding."

"That is…acceptable. How long until he can fight once more?"

"I can't say. Removing the acid might take days, or it might take hours. It depends on several factors."

"Can it be done within a day?"

"Possibly. As I said, there's not true way of knowing."

"So be it. Contact me once he is well, I wish to see if he truly is an ally to Academy City. If and when he proves he is not in working with those…Evolved, I will give him the sample."

"Alright, just make sure it won't consume him. That might lead to disastrous results."

"I will worry about the stability of the sample; you should worry on curing your patient."

***Page Break***

Mikoro smiled as the boy ran off to his mother, her arms wrapping around him in a hug as he approached. The woman looked at Mikoro, her face radiating happiness.

"Thank you so much for finding him! I thought that he had ended up somewhere on the outside and never made it here! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Mikoro smiled and sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Aww, it was nothing. Just make sure the little guy doesn't run off again."

The woman gave Mikoro one final smile and a thank you before turning around and walking away, holding her son's hand while talking to the boy.

Mikoro smiled in the direction the woman and her son went. It pleased her to see people so happy, especially at a time like this. She had heard that eventually, reinforcements would arrive to retake the city and evacuate civilians. While it was great news, she hoped that the reinforcements wouldn't try to kill Siren as well. His fight wasn't against Academy City, but his powers might make him a target for Anti-Skill as well as any other troops that might arrive.

With a sigh, she turned around and began walking, hoping to find something to do. She didn't yet have access to a computer or anything that would let her use the city's remaining cameras, so she began using her energy to help people around the area.

While she would have preferred to be at the computer, watching over Academy City and helping to track down those behind the outbreak, she knew that the only way she could get a computer was through Heaven Canceller, who was currently working with patients. She valued the lives of the people he worked with over a computer. On top of that, she knew that if the man was left alone, he'd be able to treat Siren quicker. A recovered Siren would mean a better chance of killing off the Infected and their leaders.

Mikoro's walk continued until she spotted Touma. The unlucky teenager was sitting on the ground amongst a group of people. He was eating a sandwich and next to him sat Index, who was currently participating in a similar activity.

She walked towards the two, both of which failing to notice her. She walked up next to Touma and tapped him on the shoulder. However, the teenager yelped and dropped his sandwich, which fell to the ground, the two pieces of bread splitting apart, allowing the cheese, meat, and other ingredients to fall to the grass.

"Such misfortune," Touma growled in annoyance. "I was hungry!"

"Sorry about that Touma," Mikoro apologized as he looked at her. "I was going to ask how you and Index where holding up, but it seems as though you two are fine."

"Yeah, we got hungry, but we had to wait for the Anti-Skill guys to hand out the food. They asked those that were hungry to raise their hands, and so, we raised ours. The Anti-Skill troops walked around after that, handing out food to those that wanted it."

"Why not just call all the hungry people to one area?" asked Index.

"Some people can't really walk, so I guess the Anti-Skill troops wanted to hand out food to save the injured or disabled people some effort. Or maybe they want to make sure nobody grabs too much food," Mikoro offered.

Index simply shrugged before going back to her sandwich. As she was eating, Mikoro turned back to Touma. "Anything interesting happen?"

Touma shook his head. "Nothing; it's surprisingly quite. I expected the Infected to have shown up, but it seems that something is keeping them away, and I mean something besides the armed Anti-Skill soldiers."

Mikoro frowned. "Yeah, I noticed that too. There's got to be something that's keeping the Infected away; otherwise, they would have attacked by now like they did everywhere else."

Touma nodded in agreement. "We should ask that frog-faced doctor when we next see him if he knows anything about this."

"Yeah, an explanation would be nice."

Touma looked down at his fallen sandwich. "Some food would be great too," he mumbled.

***Page Break***

Rika brought her foot down on the Hunter's head, crushing it. The massive Infected fell to the ground in a heap, dead. Rika's feet hit the street in front of it with a thump as she landed. She looked upon the dead creature in slight annoyance. It had delayed her, but more importantly, it had kept her from following the figure she had seen jumping on the rooftops.

By now the figure was long gone, and Rika had no idea which way he or she could have went because she was preoccupied with the Hunter. She jumped up again before the other Infected reached her, landing on another rooftop.

She frowned at the sight before her. Most of the city had already been taken over by the Infected and most of the people had already turned. She remembered the events at New York, but the outbreak wasn't _this_ fast.

"It would seem that the virus has evolved since the last time it reared its disgusting face," she mumbled to herself.

Ignoring the various Infected that were flying through the sky with their fleshy, mutated wings, Rika scanned the rooftops, searching for any signs of the figure she had seen a few minutes ago. When she found none, she groaned and jumped again, landing on another rooftop. She kept moving from rooftop to rooftop, desperately searching for the figure.

She did stop for a few minutes to watch as a helicopter gunned down dozens of Infected. While she was mildly interested at first, it wasn't long before she became bored of the short battle. Staying out of sight, the girl began moving again, covering vast distances in single leaps.

She passed various Infected that were larger, and probably stronger, than the ones she had seen at New York, but she paid them little mind at the time. Her only goal was to find the Evolved and then make them pay.

In her hurry, she failed to notice the blue eyes that watched her from within a building.

***Page Break***

"Wait, what?"

"I said that I should be able to get the acid out of his system rather quickly. It seems that whoever made this acid was more concerned with making it quickly and making it powerful, rather than irremovable. Don't get me wrong, the acid is dangerous, it just isn't good at staying in place."

Mikoro grinned at the frog-faced doctor. "That's great! So he'll be alright?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, he should be fine. I simply ask that you refrain from entering the room from now on, seeing as I'll be removing acid from a walking virus. We don't need anybody getting infected in this hospital."

Mikoro nodded, but then hesitated. "What if someone really needs you?"

The doctor sighed. "If it is something of utmost importance, knock on the door two times, wait a moment, then knock twice more. That's to help me distinguish you from some random person. We don't need everyone to know about Siren's…unusual nature."

Mikoro smiled at the doctor. "Got it. Is there any way to help?"

The doctor shook his head. "The most you can do is inform your friends of what I said, maybe have Mikoto guard the door so nobody walks in unannounced. This shouldn't take too long, but I want to remove all the acid from his body in one sitting."

"Alright then, good luck!"

The doctor nodded, and Mikoro walked out of the room.

It was only after she had left that she realized she forgot to ask him about whatever it was that had been keeping the Infected out.

***Page Break***

Laren watched the girl with curiosity shining in his eyes. He could tell she wasn't one of their own; he knew the locations of the rest of his group, and nobody was assigned to this area except him. Therefore, she must have been either a rogue Evolved or Mercer in disguise.

_If Mercer really wanted to disguise himself, he wouldn't be jumping across buildings like that…_

His eyes narrowed. A rogue Evolved could throw the plan off considerably, but at the same time, if he could consume her, it'd be a bonus to capturing Mercer.

The girl had nearly seen him, but luckily, one of his Hunters had assaulted her and the noise from the fight had alerted him that something was off. When he realized he wasn't alone, he hid himself and waited for the girl to move on, hoping to follow her and see if she would lead him anywhere.

While he could consume her and take her memories, he knew that if this girl had friends, she might not know their exact location. They might now her location, but the only way to confirm that was to follow her. Countless hours spent adapting to not knowing much in order to prevent information leaks via consumption had taught him to always consider the possibility of the enemy anticipating his consuming ability and planning accordingly.

As the girl faded from sight, Laren jumped out of the window of the building he was in at the time. He plummeted to the ground, Infected scattering out of the way as they sensed his presence.

By the time his feet hit the road, the Infected had already moved out of the way, creating a sort of landing space for the blond Evolved. Debris was kicked up as he landed and as his head snapped up, the Infected began scattering aside.

He began sprinting forward, staying low to the ground. If he was going to tail this girl, he'd need to minimize the amount of time he'd spend in the air as to avoid being seen.

But still, he needed to know where the girl was if he was going to tail her. Hesitantly, he jumped into the air, his head turning and his eyes scanning the area.

_There!_

Not too far to his right, the girl was hopping across buildings. As he fell to the ground, Laren began sprinting in the direction he had last saw the girl. After a dozen seconds, he jumped again and located his target. Once he hit the ground, he'd run in the direction she was heading. He repeated this process again and again, avoiding the girl's attention by keeping a descent distance from her.

He had no need to shove the Infected out of his way, seeing as the creatures jumped out of his way of their own accord. His sprint was unhindered, and his landings were without pause, resulting in him being able to keep up with the girl, despite having to avoid attracting attention.

At the moment, the girl was heading away from that hospital that had a supposed "anti-Infected barrier".

_Wait, was she inside the hospital? Could she be working with the humans?_

An Evolved that was aiding the humans could prove troublesome…

_Or maybe I'm jumping to conclusions._

***Page Break***

Mikoto fired a stream of electricity, cutting down several Infected in a single attack. Anti-Skill soldiers stood around her, firing at the Infected as they charged towards their makeshift blockade. Kuroko teleported to various locations among the Infected and threw her small, sharp needle-like darts at their heads. Anti-Skill had decided to play it safe and gave the teleporting esper a pistol, and though it was clear that the girl preferred her darts, the pistol simply had more ammunition for her to use.

The creatures toppled over each other as their brethren fell, but Mikoto could see that they weren't going to be stopped so easily. Despite all that they were throwing at them, the Infected kept coming.

Mikoto stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. She brought her hands together, building up massive amounts of electricity. Lighting danced around her as she stood there, waiting for the Infected to get closer.

When they closed in, she unleashed the electricity in a massive blast, engulfing innumerable Infected as they ran down the street. The lightning wormed up lamp posts, metal pipes, and other items in the area, before disappearing.

As the dust settled and the electricity faded, everyone was treated to the sight of countless dead Infected, their bodies twitching from the electric shock. Several Anti-Skill soldiers took a moment to marvel at the girl's incredible power, however they were quickly brought back to reality as more Infected came running from other streets.

"There's just no end to them!" cried an Anti-Skill soldier.

"Take them out as quietly as possible! Avoid explosives and try to kill with as little shots as possible! The noise of the fight is attracting them!"

Mikoto stepped back, electricity sparking around her. She began firing bolts of lightning at the Infected, attempting to kill them as efficiently as possible while creating as little noise as possible. The pistol Kuroko received was already outfitted with a silencer, so her method of killing the Infected was already quite. On top of that, her darts didn't make any noise, at least, not when compared to an automatic rifle or a few grenades.

Slowly but surely, their numbers began decreasing. The Infected on the street were slowly replaced with piles of corpses, and before long, all that was left were the Anti-Skill soldiers and the two espers.

Mikoto leaned against an Anti-Skill van and sighed. She had decided to accompany these Anti-Skill troops to help them push out and try and retake a food store in an attempt to restock, but they had been blocked by the Infected. Anti-Skill had quickly formed a blockade using their cars, a tactic that had saved lives, seeing as it proved extra cover from the rampaging creatures. On top of that, when it became obvious that the situation wasn't stable, they had called in Kuroko to help.

The teleporting esper had been assisting another group, but she had come as soon as she heard the distress call. It wasn't as though Mikoto couldn't handle the Infected, but Anti-Skill wasn't taking any chances. When they realized that, with the two espers' help, they could still retrieve food, they had decided to wipe out the Infected in the area and salvage what food they could.

Thanks again for coming along with us," said a female Anti-Skill soldier as she walked up to Mikoro. "Wasn't sure if we would have made it without you and Kuroko over there."

Mikoto looked over at Kuroko, who was currently helping gather food to take back to the hospital. Mikoto looked back to the Anti-Skill woman. "No problem. Times like these are when people need to really pull together and help each other."

The woman nodded. "Yup, you're right about that. Too bad not many people have that kind of mindset under normal conditions. Maybe if they did, the world would be a better place."

"Yeah, it just might be," Mikoto replied as she looked to the skies. It was pretty dark at the moment, but she could tell it would be dawn in a few hours. Dark clouds covered the city, blocking the stars and moon, causing the night to seem that much darker.

The presence of the Infected had made a major change on the city, one of the more notable changes being that many areas of the city had experienced power outages from the constantly rampaging Infected that seemed to have an obsession with attacking people and most other things. However, there were still plenty of lighted areas in the city, so the remaining residents could still see, even if it was night.

Mikoto jumped as she felt a hand slap her on the back. "Good job, Onee-sama! We managed to clear most of the Infected from this area and are now walking away with a large supply of food!"

"Kuroko," she growled. "Don't sneak up on me like that! I almost zapped you out of surprise."

Kuroko shrugged. "Anyway, we only had two casualty, but the rest of the soldiers seem unharmed. They have you to thank for that, you know."

Mikoto rubbed her arm. "Don't sell yourself short; you did well too."

Kuroko grinned. "Maybe when we return to the hospital, we can celebrate our victory with a little—"

"LA LA LA, I'm not listening!" Mikoto shouted while covering her ears.

Kuroko frowned. "Damn it," she muttered.

***Page Break***

"Figures," growled Rika. "When you don't want something around, it'll come up _everywhere_, but the fucking _second_ you're looking for something, it disappears off the face of the earth."

She groaned in frustration.

She turned around and sat on the edge of the rooftop, her feet dangling over the edge. The wind blew against her back, but she didn't really care. At the moment, she was more than a little annoyed with the lack of Evolved.

Just a little while ago, that Whipfist freak was trying to kill her, but now, there was _nobody_.

_Are they laying low? Do they have something big planned?_

"Tch, even if they did have something big planned, there's nothing I can do about it at the moment; all those creeps disappeared."

In her opinion, the best criminals were those that could make themselves disappear like this, but she certainly wasn't admiring the Evolved; she was still angry that she hadn't been able to get her hands on one.

She looked down at the streets below.

_Man, this Infection is spreading ridiculously fast. What was done to the viruses to increase their speed like this?_

The subject of the outbreak's speed had crossed her mind before, but she hadn't given it much thought since then.

_How much have the viruses evolved to be able to do this? Did they even evolve? What if they were modified? But if they were, who's modifying them? Blackwatch? The Evolved? Mercer?_

She shook her head in disbelief at how insane this all was.

***Page Break***

**More images.**

** The places he saw shortly after waking up.**

** The first Infected he had ever killed.**

** The first time he saw his own Claws. His own Blade.**

** You know who you are. You know who you will always be. It doesn't matter how much your body or name changes, you are who you are. Nothing will change that.**

** It was his own voice, his own thoughts. And yet, it wasn't. **

** An image of Alex Mercer came to his mind. But this time, the image slowly faded, and was replaced with an image of himself; his **_**old**_** self. Grey eyes, brown boots, blue jeans, black vest, and a thin grey sweatshirt.**

___I AM THE PROTOTYPE, I AM BLACKLIGHT, AND THIS BITCH'S TIME IS UP! _

**Those words…they were the words he mentally screamed back when he was fighting Ichijo Sakura's Golems at the mall.**

** You were right. You are BLACKLIGHT. You are the Prototype. You carried a dead man's name, but you were always BLACKLIGHT. **

** BLACKLIGHT…**

** A name. An identity. It's what you craved. It's what you got. Don't throw it away.**

** The images slowly faded from his mind.**

***Page Break***

The frog-faced doctor reeled back as Siren's body became a mass of red and black tentacles. They squirmed and writhed for a few seconds before resettling.

The doctor blinked in surprise in confusion.

For one thing the teenager's clothing had…changed.

He didn't waste time pondering over what had just happened. He had found an efficient way to extract the acid, and he wasn't too far from being done.

_I'll talk to the others about what this might mean when I've extracted the acid._

***Page Break***

Mikoto yawned as she sat down. She may have been a Level 5, but she could still get tired; and tired she was.

She had spent the majority of this night helping Anti-Skill secure supplies or do other tasks. Many of the tasks were rather easy, but there were so many of them that Mikoto found herself exhausted from doing so much work.

She looked over, and suddenly, the bed next to her looked infinitely more comfortable than it had before. She began walking over to the bed, though her walk was more of a stumble.

Before she could reach the bed however, Kuroko teleported into the room, holding a few cookies.

"Hello, Onee-sama," she said with a grin, holding out a cookie. "Want some?"

Mikoto reached out almost blindly and grabbed a cookie. She stuffed it in her mouth, barely chewing it. She mumbled a quick thank you and flopped down on the bed, her eyes immediately shutting.

"Hey, Onee-sama, are you sure it's the best time to sleep? I mean, it's almost dawn…"

"I'm tired," Mikoto groaned. "Wake me up if anything crazy starts happening."

Kuroko shrugged and teleported out of the room, leaving an exhausted Mikoto to catch some much-needed sleep.

***Page Break***

He could see vague images. They weren't in his mind, no, these were _real_. His eyesight was returning. For a second, Siren could see the world around him. For a second, he could _feel_ his limbs once more. But it only lasted for a single second before he slipped back under.

***Page Break***

Rika kicked a car across the street with her foot in frustration. She had searched and searched, but nothing came up. No signs of the Evolved anywhere.

She could practically hear her teeth cracking as she gritted them.

Infected were already swarming towards her, but Rika simply jumped to the nearest wall and began running upwards. Her footsteps left cracks and holes in the wall as she ran, but she paid them no mind. She had never cared about property damage before, but now, during a zombie invasion, property damage was probably the furthest thing from many people's minds, and her lack of concern for it was completely justified. In her opinion.

As she moved, she thought about the best way to extract information about the one who killed her mother and her sister, Sarah. If she didn't find the one who did it, she wanted to at least be able to get some information from somebody lower on the food chain.

"When I find that Whipfist moron, I'm gonna—"

She heard it before she saw it. Rika leapt out of the way as something smashed into the wall where she had been a moment ago. She rolled to a stop on the ground, looking back towards the wall she had been on.

Her eyes widened in horror.

***Page Break***

Laren grunted in annoyance. He had lost track of the girl. She seemed to have jumped behind a building and escaped his field of vision. He had failed to relocate her, and now she was gone.

He hit his fist against a nearby car, sending it flying. He had always found that his anger disappeared quicker when he took it out on something.

_Damn it, she might have been significant…_

He turned around.

_Oh well, better get back to looking for Mercer…_

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** Siren's Memories: Don't worry; it'll make more sense later on.**

** Again With The Changing Clothes?!: Siren's shifting outfit is something of a visual representation of his identity crisis. He doesn't truly understand who he is and he keeps changing based on things in his life/mind. Think of it as him shifting between identities in his confusion. Also, come on, character wearing the same clothing all the time seems a bit…weird.**

** The Old Clothes: Some might be wondering why Siren's clothing changed back to his old outfit when all the other changes seemed to make him more like Alex Mercer. Well…some memories might not be what they seem to be.**

** The Slow Chapter: Just setting up for the return of Siren.**


	19. Chapter 19

DISCLAIMER; I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Sorry for any delays; school, along with personal things, have kept me busy but I'll try to keep updating when I can.**

**PLEASE READ THE EXPLANATIONS/CLARIFICATIONS SECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE ONCE YOU FINISH READING THE CHAPTER!**** It offers a little extra info/foreshadowing on something that many people will consider cliché and overused in Prototype fics. You will know what I'm talking about once you get to the section. **

**Chapter 19**

**Realizations**

"Almost done…"

It was an elderly voice; the same one he had heard earlier.

"So close…"

The voice sounded slightly strained. He could tell by the tone and words that the owner of the voice was close to completing something.

For a second, his vision cleared up and he saw colors. But then, just like that, it all faded.

Siren mentally groaned in frustration as he felt his consciousness slipping once more.

***Page Break***

Rika's jaw hung open as she stared at the…_thing_ that had just made its way out of the ground.

"What the _fuck_ is that?!"

The massive creature swung its arm at her. Rika leapt out of the way, landing a dozen meters from the Infected.

She stared at it in complete shock, unsure of what this thing was. It seemed to have a humanoid upper body, but it lacked a head. It was massive, its chest alone easily larger than a Hunter. Its arms looked like long, flexible tentacles, and instead of hands, the strange limbs ended in what looked like mandibles. Its flesh was a strange, white-grey color with occasional thick, black veins showing through the skin.

"Does that thing have _Hydras _for arms?!"

Sure enough, the Infected's arms resembled Hydras, but Rika had never seen a Hydra like this before. The lower body was still hidden underground, and Rika assumed that the Infected must have had a powerful lowed body in order to support all that weight.

Without warning, the mandibles on the creature's arms opened and tendrils shot out, aiming for the black-haired girl. She spun around, dodging the first of the tendrils and slapping away the second.

The tendril she dodged had embedded itself in a car. Rika rolled out of the way as the tendrils quickly retracted, dragging the car with it. As the car came within reach of the mandibles on the Infected's left arm, it was crushed by them. Rika narrowed her eyes as she noticed the strangely shaped, white teeth that were in between the mandibles.

_Is that a mouth? _

Again, the creature swung its massive arms at her. She moved out of the way, but the impact generated enough force to send Rika flying into a building. She grunted as she crashed through the wall. She went tumbling through the building, knocking aside Infected who were currently inside.

As she finally came to a stop, her head snapping up and her eyes narrowing.

_Whatever this thing is, it's not going down without a good fight._

Rika began sprinting towards a window, picking up speed as she moved. As she neared it, she jumped through and fell to the ground, her eyes scanning over the massive Infected as she fell.

_What is this thing? Some sort of…Leader Hydra?_

More tendrils shot towards her. The moment her feet hit the ground, Rika was already leaping into the air. The tendrils slammed into the ground where she was a second ago, and Rika grabbed onto one mid-air.

As the tendrils quickly retracted, Rika used one as rope and swung onto the massive Leader Hydra's right arm. As she landed, she let go of the tendril she had held on to, allowing it to snap around and retract into its original position.

A smile appeared on her face as she watched the Leader Hydra raise its left arm. She waited as the creature swung its arm at her, and jumped out of the way at the last second. The Leader Hydra's left arm crashed into its right, knocking it off balance.

As the creature bent forward, Rika aimed a kick at its back. She slammed into it, but quickly found that she was unable to do any serious damage. The Leader Hydra, as she was now calling it, slowly turned towards her, its body twisting at odd angles as it turned.

Rika found that without a visible head, she could never truly tell where it was looking. That was, if this thing could even _see_.

Rika tried to dodge the newest wave of incoming tendrils, but she was too slow. She felt one of the tendrils punch through her leg, causing her to grunt. Rika's fingers clawed at the street as she was dragged backwards towards the mouth of sharp teeth on the Leader Hydra's limb.

She looked back and her eyes widened as more tendrils shot from the Infected, attempting to accelerate the process of dragging her to her death. Rika grunted and pulled with all her might. Just before the other tendrils could reach her, Rika felt the tendril in her leg rip and she jumped away.

As she landed, she looked down at her foot and noticed that the tendril, or what was left of it, was still there. She ripped out the appendage and looked back towards the Leader Hydra, seeing one of the retracting tendrils bleeding profusely from having the tip ripped off.

The creature towered over her, raising both arms over its head and bringing them down. Rika jumped up and between the arms, and attempted to kick the spot where a normal head would have been.

Once again, she saw no visible damage and jumped away, her eyes scanning the street. She paid no mind to the lesser Infected that ran about, instead focusing on the abandoned vehicles that dotted the street.

Rika dove towards an overturned car. When she landed next to it, she grabbed it and lifted it into the air with little effort. She jumped into the air and threw the car at the Leader Hydra. She blinked in surprise as the Leader Hydra caught the car in its left…set of mandibles.

The Leader Hydra threw the car straight back at her, and Rika yelped as the car flew by mere inches above her as she fell to the ground. The car crashed into a building wall behind her, utterly demolishing the structure.

"Heh, didn't realize we were playing catch," she commented with a smug expression on her face.

The Leader Hydra failed to register her words and simply reached forward with its arms, grabbing a motorcycle. It threw the vehicle at Rika with speed that surprised the young girl. She avoided it and looked back towards the Leader Hydra.

"So how am I going to kill you?"

***Page Break***

Grevin was not too happy at the moment. The area he had been assigned to was utterly devoid of action. He had spent hours jumping around, looking for Mercer, but to no avail.

"Come on you smug little bastard," he said to himself. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…"

He kept jumping from building to building, searching for any signs of his target.

"If the Infected could actually speak, we might be able to use them to find him," he growled. Unfortunately, communication between the Evolved and the Infected was one-way. The Evolved could give orders and the Infected could respond, but the Infected had no way of telling the Evolved anything.

Grevin looked down from the rooftops and tried to spot anything unusual. The sight of innumerable Infected scrambling about might have seemed just a little out of place to the average person, but to Grevin and the rest of the Evolved, a city crawling with Infected was nothing new.

He continued his search, stopping only when he wanted to take a closer look at a fleeing civilian or Anti-Skill member. Even the occasional esper could be seen fighting for their life as they were swarmed by Infected.

Such sights always brought a smile to Grevin's masked face. Watching espers try to fight off swarms of Infected had always been an amusing sight to him. He didn't bother sticking around for long; the sooner they found Mercer, the sooner they'd get to return to their grand city.

"And the sooner we all become Prototypes," he whispered. The thought along was enough to excite him. Soon, all the Evolved would be completely merged with the either BLACKLIGHT or REDLIGHT. No longer would they be limited by bones or organs, no, once they became Prototypes, _nothing_ would limit them.

"The world will be ours to take. Nothing the humans can produce will be enough to stop us," he said with a large grin under his Blackwatch mask.

His feet hit another rooftop and he pushed off, propelling himself into the air. Several Flyers soared over his head as he moved and he watched them for a second before looking back to the streets. If the Flyers spotted something, they'd begin acting up, and the fastest way to notice them would be to see them.

He kept moving, keeping at a medium height above the ground. He saw roaming Hunters, Flyers, and even a few Leader Hunters, but still no sign of Siren Mercer.

He rolled his eyes and a groan escaped his lips. "Has that moron even woken up yet? The acid should have knocked him out for a while…"

He threw his head back and shrieked at the sky. "MERCER! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, KNOW THAT WE _WILL _FIND YOU! MAKE THIS EASY FOR ALL OF US AND COME OUT NOW!"

***Page Break***

Mikoro gave a small yawn as she looked at the horizon. She could make out the faintest of orange streaks, indicating that the sun would soon rise.

She smiled. Daytime might lift the spirits of the weary people who were hiding out at this hospital.

She looked back towards the groups of people around the hospital, many of them fast asleep. Others sat there, looking utterly broken. Mikoro knew that the outbreak had crushed many and stripped them of hope. She hoped that the city would be able to recover from something of this magnitude.

"You know, I'd really like to know what's keeping those zombies out of this area," a voice said behind her.

Mikoro turned around to see Touma walking up to her.

"Yeah, sorry about forgetting to ask the doctor about it."

Touma shrugged. "It isn't necessarily urgent; I'm just curious that's all. I was expecting the Infected to show up or maybe the Evolved themselves, but I can't say that I'm disappointed."

Mikoro nodded. "Gotta agree with you there," she said quietly.

It was then that a loud, inhumane shriek echoed through the area. Mikoro's eyes widened and her head spun towards the direction the sound had originated from.

Touma had done the same, his mouth slightly ajar. People around them began waking, staring off in the same direction in terror. The shriek sounded again, causing several people to instinctively duck and cover their ears.

"W-what was that?!" Mikoro asked.

"I have no idea," Touma replied grimly. "But it sounds big…and angry."

***Page Break***

Rika watched with wide eyes as the Leader Hydra began moving out of the ground. Its lower body wasn't a set of legs as she expected, but rather, it was a long and snake-like. The massive creature slithered out of the ground, its twin Hydra arms lashing out and shoving away anything that got in its way. Infected were crushed under the Leader Hydra as it moved towards Rika.

The young girl took a step back. The snake-like body was far larger than she imagined; the thing was longer than two school buses! She gritted her teeth as the massive Infected closed in, intent on ripping her apart.

_I can't beat it right now…_

She lacked the proper weapons. Her fists couldn't pierce the monster's hide and it caught whatever she threw at it. If she had an RPG or maybe an attack helicopter, she would stand a far better chance.

"Lucky fucking shape shifters," she growled. "You take your fucking weapons for granted," she complained as she turned around. She hated running from a fight, but right now, she had no choice. She'd need something that could actually pierce the Leader Hydra, or she'd need a team to back her up.

"That electric esper might be of help," Rika said to herself as Misaka Mikoto came to mind. "Or that Siren guy…"

She turned around and began sprinting. The Leader Hydra didn't seem to like her actions and let out a deafening shriek.

_Is it shrieking through its Hydra hand things? That's…weird._

Rika began running along a wall in a diagonal direction. She gained both height and distance, slowly leaving the Leader Hydra behind. She dragged her right hand along the wall, steadying herself. The Leader Hydra slithered after her, but the massive creature was nowhere near as fast as her.

As she left the area, she spared a glance over her shoulder, just in time to see the Leader Hydra dive back into the ground, the ground trembling as the gargantuan Infected made its way back into the earth.

***Page Break***

"What was that?" Laren asked.

"No clue. Did Ares bring the Goliath?" Grevin's voice sounded in his earpiece.

"Grevin," Laren growled. "You know he prefers to be called the Supreme Regurgitator."

Laren could practically hear Grevin rolling his eyes. "Oh come one, who the fuck would want a name like that? Seriously, makes him sound like some kind of obese wrestler."

"It was a name given to him by his superior; he holds that name with pride."

"Was his leader some sort of wrestler?" Grevin asked jokingly.

"_Anyway_," Laren continued, changing the topic. "I'm going to call the Supreme Regurgitator and ask what he thinks about that roar. I don't think he'd bring the Goliath without his boss' permission."

"Yeah, whatever," Grevin replied. A click sounded and Laren knew Grevin was off the line.

"If it isn't the Goliath, then what was the source of that roar?" he asked himself.

***Page Break***

His eyes opened, though very slowly. The images he saw where blurry and distorted, but he was glad he could finally see.

His body felt weird; it was lighter, and his chest and stomach area felt slightly colder than usual. But more than anything, he felt _hunger_. The feeling was not new to him, but he never felt hunger to this immense level. His eyes narrowed as he attempted to keep his focus; giving in to the primal instinct to feed would do him no good now.

_First things first, I need to see if I can even move…_

He tried moving, and to his surprise, his body cooperated.

He started with small movements; fingers and toes. When he realized he could move those, he slowly began moving his hands. They rotated slightly, but the action seemed to take far more effort than it should have.

His sight slowly became clearer and he noticed he was currently lying on his back. He grunted as he tried to move his head. He looked around and deduced that he was in some sort of hospital.

_Just like when I first woke up…_

He shut his eyes and slowly tried to sit up. A blanket was covering his body, but it slowly fell away as he sat up. The action was simple, but it felt as though he were lifting a school bus. He noticed that besides for his pants, he was completely naked.

For the first time in…a while, he saw his own chest and stomach. He looked around the room before locating his clothing, but was surprised to find his _old_ clothes handing off a hook attached to the wall.

He blinked, remembering his memories.

"_I found my answer in death. And rebirth."_

"What does that mean?" he asked himself. "That voice belonged to Alex Mercer…"

His eyes narrowed in concentration and his hand came up to his chin, his expression one of deep thought. "Death? Rebirth? What did he mean by—?"

The question was left hanging as Siren froze.

"No…"

He had _his_ powers, _his_ memories,_ his _appearance.

_But it makes sense…despite how insane it might sound; it just might be the only explanation…_

The more he thought about it the more sense it made. He was surprised for not thinking about this possibility earlier.

"Rebirth…_Reincarnation_."

_It makes perfect fucking sense!_

The memories, the powers, his own fucking _name_; they all pointed to the same thing.

"I'm his reincarnation."

The words themselves seemed to lift a massive weight from his chest, and he felt his mind begin…clearing.

"I'm a reincarnated Alex Mercer," he whispered to himself.

***Page Break***

"So, he'll be awake soon?" asked Mikoro.

"If my calculations are correct, and all the acid has truly been removed from his system, then he should be waking up any time," replied the frog-faced doctor. Mikoro grinned at him.

"That's great! Thank you so much for your help!"

"Yeah," Touma added. "With Siren back in the game, we stand a better chance of taking down the Evolved."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. Now then, I need you two to stay by him until he wakes up, or else he might panic when he wakes up. I want him to see friendly faces when he wakes. Otherwise, he might go on a, well a…"

"A killing spree?" Kuroko offered from behind Touma.

Mikoro glared at Kuroko. "He's not a mindless animal," she growled at the girl. The initial meeting between Kuroko and Mikoro had been…awkward. Kuroko had been told of the Misaka clones, but apparently, nobody had told Kuroko that one of the clones was here.

Mikoro had been shocked to find that Mikoto had revealed her secret to Kuroko, but it seemed that Mikoto understood that Kuroko would run into one of the Misaka clones sooner or later, especially now since the outbreak began.

But here they were now, walking to Siren's room in order to check up on him.

"Well, I wasn't going to suggest that, but either way, I don't want to run the risk of him attacking people. It's only logical to assume that he'll be starving once he wakes up, but we need to calm him down enough to explain to him what happens."

"Yeah," Touma said with a shudder. "I just hope he's not like Index and won't help himself to the nearest thing he sees…"

***Page Break***

He slammed his fist against the wall behind him, and action that caused him immense pain and left massive cracks in the wall.

"How could I have been so fucking _blind_?!"

The answer had stared him in the face ever since his first 'lost memory' had appeared. "A reincarnation, a fucking _reincarnation_! That's why I have all these powers and memories; we're the _SAME FUCKING PERSON!_"

His own stupidity shocked him. How could he have missed something so like this? Was it because he was so convinced that he and Alex couldn't be one that he neglected to consider the possibility?

A part of him was satisfied. Yet, there was more; he could feel it.

_Why? What circumstances would lead to this? What happened before I woke up that day?_

His mind raced with questions and possible answers. The many minds he consumed worked together to attempt to formulate a hypothesis, but before he could get far, he doubled over in the bed.

He gritted his teeth as the maddening hunger began making its presence known once more. In his shock, he had forgotten that his body seemed to be nearly deprived of biomass.

_I need to consume someone or something to accelerate the recovery._

He reached for his clothing, thin, black tentacles jumping from his fingertips. As they made contact with the clothing, the clothing itself became a mass of black and red tentacles and slithered along his arm before engulfing his body and taking the shape of his clothes once more.

He glanced down at himself, a small smile touching his lips. It felt…good to be back in his old clothes. He couldn't explain it, but he felt slightly more…complete.

_Odd, considering I looked more like Alex Mercer, erm, the…old me when I was wearing that other outfit._

He frowned as he recalled the words he had heard in his memories.

_"A name. An identity. It's what you craved. It's what you got. Don't throw it away."_

He pondered the words. He didn't know the meaning, but he was sure it tied in with him being a…reincarnation. The lost memories must have been tied in with what he saw as Alex Mercer. Anything having to do with them _must_ have tied in with his reincarnation.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he heard voices outside the door. His eyes narrowed and he slid out of the bed, an action that sent his head spinning.

_Alright, movement; not the best idea right now…_

He glared at the doorway, waiting for whoever would walk in. He knew that he was nowhere near full strength right now, but he also knew that he couldn't escape now; his body was too weak. His best chance would be to try and grab the newcomers by the throat and suffocate them, then proceed to consume their unconscious bodies.

The voices got closer. He heard a female voice, but his hearing was distorted and he couldn't recognize it. It seemed that, at the moment, his senses had been severely dulled.

The door opened and just as Siren was about to move, he looked into a set of eyes that were oddly familiar.

He blinked.

She blinked.

"Siren!"

Like his senses, his reaction time was dulled, and before he could comprehend what was happening, he was tackled by a brown-haired girl who had thrown her arms around his neck. His weakened body failed to sustain their weight and the two went falling to the floor, Siren grunting as the girl landed on top of him.

She sat back after a second, locking eyes with him. "You're awake!"

"Barely," he choked out. He heard somebody chuckle off to the side.

***Page Break***

"How did it go?"

"Particularly well. Once the test subject detected an Infected presence that matched those of the Evolved, it made its way to the surface and proceeded to attack it."

"And where is this Evolved now?"

"Well…that's the thing. The one that the test subject found, a girl, didn't actually shape shift. It also seemed as though she wasn't capable of commanding the Infected like the others are…"

"Did she have black hair?"

"Yes…"

"Green eyes?"

"How did you—?"

"The girl that the test subject targeted is not one of the Evolved."

"Pardon?"

"Kazari Rika; Blackwatch's first and only Phase Three Orion super soldier. I figured she'd get into this one way or another."

"Phase _Three_? I thought the project never made it past Phase Two!"

"Blackwatch wouldn't advertise their one and only Phase Three soldier. No, they'd keep it top secret."

"What do we do about this Rika character?"

"We wait. If she proves to be an ally, she'll receive something similar to what I have in store for Siren Mercer."

"A sample?!"

"No…an upgrade."

"…"

"I see…and if she proves to be an enemy?"

"We eliminate her."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Reincarnation: Oh boy! It's finally been revealed! Now, I know many might be thinking "Seriously? ANOTHER story with a reincarnation of Alex Mercer?!" But wait! Siren will discover more about who he is and where he came from and Alex Mercer obviously plays a massive role. It's also worth noting that in a later Explanations/Clarifications section, I will explain WHY I made the choice to make Siren the way he is. Oh and remember, things aren't always as they seem, and just because he's the protagonist, doesn't mean Siren is always correct in his theories…(extreme foreshadowing right here). Basically, there's more to the story than "Alex is gone and I was reborn from his remains, blah, blah, blah." **

** Phase Three Orion Super Soldier: The real project was stopped at Phase Two by James Heller, but this story doesn't involve him, so project Orion continued.**

** Leader Hydra: Not part of the actual games, but a, in my opinion, fitting addition to the collection of creatures spawned by the viruses. **

** The New Guys: Who's controlling this Leader Hydra? Who's behind this "sample"? All very good questions, but unfortunately, the time for answers has not yet come.**


	20. Chapter 20

DISCLAIMER; I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY!

**If my laptop had a face, I probably would have knocked its teeth out with a crowbar. For no apparent reason, my laptop shut off while I was working. Oh, and not once, but **_**three times**_**. Not to mention I was typing this while I was pretty tired, so having to retype portions of it three times did little to help me. Anyway, thank you to everyone who's still here and putting up with my slow updating speed.**

**This chapter's a bit shorter due to technical difficulties and whatnot. Besides the *ahem* unexpected shutdowns, there was other stuff to deal with that threw me back a bit. I apologize for that. **

**Chapter 20**

**Three of a Kind**

The first thing Touma noticed about Siren was the cold glare he was giving them as they walked in. For a second, Touma was sure Siren was planning on attacking them. However, his worries were lifted as Mikoro tackled Siren to the ground.

"You're awake!"

Touma grinned as he watched Siren get tackled to the ground by an exited Mikoro. It was good to see someone as pessimistic and violent as Siren receiving a warm welcome from a friendly face. He also noted that Siren was back in his old outfit, which wasn't a bad thing, but it was rather odd, seeing as the silver-haired shape shifter had probably only woken up minutes ago.

"Barely," choked out the sapient virus. Touma couldn't help but chuckle at Siren's response. Mikoro, realizing she was preventing Siren from getting up, quickly scrambled backwards, allowing the silver-haired teen to stand up.

Touma instantly noticed how wobbly and unstable Siren was, the fact being given away by how he stumbled towards the bed for support as soon as he was on his feet. He looked as though he was about to say something, but his mouth shut as soon as he saw the frog-faced doctor that stood near Touma.

Despite having just woken up, Siren's tired face immediately warped into one of complete seriousness. There was a cold gleam in his eyes, and Touma could practically _feel_ Siren's killing intent as he glared at the doctor.

"Who are you?" he hissed. Mikoro and Kuroko both figured what Siren was getting at, and they both jumped between him and the doctor, Kuroko's hand quickly shooting towards her needle-like darts as she blocked Siren's path. Mikoro had her hands held out and held a panicked expression as she attempted to calm Siren down.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on, Siren, this man here is not our enemy! He's one of the main reasons you're up and about right now."

Siren narrowed his eyes and glanced over Mikoro's shoulder at the doctor. "What exactly was it that you did to me? Was it you I heard speaking?"

"You probably heard me, yes. Anyway, I took the time to remove the acid from your body, allowing you to begin your rapid regenerating process."

Siren blinked in surprise. "You know about my healing abilities? And acid? What acid?"

The doctor nodded. "I'm already aware that you are the BLACKLIGHT virus. There's no need to hide it."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Mikoro began. "We couldn't get the acid out of you without a doctor, and he was the perfect man for the job. When unconscious, you're basically a corpse; you know, what with the lack of a pulse and all. We _had _to explain what you were to him in order for him to actually understand what you were and how to treat you. No doctor would try to cure what they think is already dead."

Siren frowned. "Great, _another_ one who knows about me." He sighed and shook his head before looking back up. "What was that about acid?"

"Whoever stabbed you injected a lethal substance into your body. It ate away at your biomass and prevented you from regenerating."

Siren nodded slowly. "I…see. And you were the one who removed it from my system?"

"Correct."

Siren looked away from the frog-faced doctor. "Thanks," he muttered quietly.

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "Funny how you neglect to thank the ones who had to save your hide from the guys who actually injected you with that crap."

"I'm assuming you had something to do with that?" Siren asked her. Kuroko nodded. "Onee-sama and I were the ones who rescued you from the Evolved."

Siren let out an annoyed breath. "Thank you," he mumbled. Kuroko grinned. "What's that? I couldn't hear you. Could you repeat that?"

"No," was Siren's short reply. He attempted to stand up straight but as soon as he let go of the bed, Touma noticed how quickly he began losing his balance.

The frog-faced doctor frowned. "You must be starving due to lack of biomass, am I correct?"

Siren, seemingly ignoring the fact that the doctor knew about his eating habits, simply nodded weakly.

The doctor turned to Kuroko. "You're going to have to teleport him to an area outside the hospital and bring him a few Infected after you've subdued them. Without them struggling, Siren should be able to consume them. Once he's consumed enough biomass, he should be stable enough to target the larger Infected and properly feed himself."

"Why does it have to be me?"

"Because we can't actually drag Siren through the barrier."

Touma, Mikoro, Kuroko, and Siren blinked. "A barrier? Is that what's been keeping the Infected out?" asked Kuroko.

The doctor nodded. Touma noticed that Siren was staring at the group in complete confusion. "I'm sorry, what? What barrier?"

Touma turned to him. "This area, the hospital; the Infected refuse to come near it. Something's been keeping them out and protecting the people sheltered inside."

"And apparently, it was a barrier that was keeping them out. Although, could you please explain what exactly this barrier is?" Mikoro asked the frog-faced doctor.

Before he could respond, Siren interrupted. "Wait, wait, wait. You're saying there's some kind of anti-Infected barrier that's been keeping the Infected out of this place?"

The doctor nodded.

"So, if this barrier keeps the Infected out, how am _I _in _here_? I'm the actual virus, so the barrier should have prevented me from getting in this place."

"Ahh," the doctor began. "You see, Kuroko teleported you in, which allowed you to bypass the barrier. As for how you're still sane while being in here; think of the barrier as a hollow sphere. Once you break through the outer shell, the barrier won't affect you while you're in here."

"How I've stayed sane? What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, once the Infected get close to the barrier, they begin to go insane. The few that actually get close are burned to a crisp. If the barrier _did_ have an effect on your mental state while Kuroko teleported you in, it must have been negated by the fact that you were unconscious."

"Huh," was Siren's short response.

"No then," the doctor continued. "You should prioritize consuming something above all else; I imagine it will be hard coming up with a strategy to beat this outbreak while you're starving. Kuroko, please assist Siren in acquiring some biomass."

Kuroko rolled her eyes and sighed. "How long do you think this'll take?" she asked Siren.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm literally starved. I needed a lot of biomass to stay alive to begin with, and since I'm currently _starving_, I need to have a massive intake of it before I'm considered 'alright'. That and I'm currently weakened and can't consume the Infected by myself. So, the short answer is 'yes', this might take some time."

Kuroko groaned. "Great," she muttered. She walked over to Siren and put her hand on his shoulder. "Alright, let's get this over with."

With that, the two disappeared.

***Page Break***

Rika landed on the rooftop with a loud _thump_. She craned her neck and stretched her arms, her bones giving soft pops.

She had spent quite some time searching for the Evolved and was now sure that they were making a point to avoid her if she got near. That or they left the city, which she highly doubted.

She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing in annoyance.

_I've been searching for what feels like hours, I should have come across at least one of them by now. They've got_ _to be avoiding me when they see me, but there's no way they're avoiding me out of fear; they have the advantage in numbers._

She looked up to the sky. She could make out the occasional flying Infected, but besides that, there wasn't much going on up there. Rika sighed as she looked back down.

_At this rate, I'll never find them. I need to fall back and think of something._

She sat down, crossing her legs beneath her.

_Ok, rushing in without thinking; not my best idea. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing that I haven't found them yet? I don't exactly have a plan for taking them down, especially if I were to run into more than one of them at once._

Her anger was still very present, but it was no longer blinding her to the truth; she stood little chance on her own of defeating the Evolved, and if they had anything that resembled intelligence, they'd gang up on her to minimize their losses.

_I…I might not be able to do this alone._

The realization brought an unwelcome feeling to her body. She despised having to rely on others, and even in this dire situation, she still felt uncomfortable working with others.

_But facts are facts; there are an unknown number of Evolved in this city, and they have an army of zombies at their disposal, not to mention that Leader Hydra and all the Hunters and their variants…_

The first person that came to mind was Siren Mercer. She may not have liked or known him very much, but he _had_ helped save her sister and he had knowledge of the Evolved and the viruses. The problem was, she had attempted to kill him when she mistook him for Alex Mercer.

_The resemblance between the two is uncanny._

Even so, he was probably her best bet to fight off the Evolved.

The second person to come to mind was Misaka Mikoto; one of Academy City's Level 5 espers. While Mikoto probably didn't have much knowledge of the viruses, she was loyal to her city and had a desire to protect those that she cared about.

_Which means that whoever unleashed the viruses won't be on good terms with her. Besides, her electrical powers should be able to fry the Infected pretty efficiently, and maybe pierce through that Leader Hydra's hide…_

***Page Break***

"That's disgusting," Kuroko commented with a look of distaste on her face.

Siren looked up a few seconds later, several tentacles retreating into his body, dragging along the remains of a dead Infected.

"Nobody said you had to watch me consume them, you know," he replied dryly.

Kuroko rolled her eyes. "I have to make sure you don't choke while devouring people."

Siren raised an eyebrow. "People? You can't seriously think the Infected are still people."

"They were once. And besides, you've consumed people before, don't deny it."

"I wasn't going to deny it. Besides, most of the time, I don't give a damn as to who or what I consume. Now, can we please continue?"

Kuroko sighed and teleported away. She returned less than fifteen seconds later with a struggling Infected. Its shoulders had dozens of darts in them, preventing it from properly moving its arms.

Siren's pale hand shot out, grabbing the Infected by the neck. Black tendrils shot from his fingertips, ripping through the mutated flesh. More tentacles slowly reached from his body, engulfing the Infected and slowly consuming it.

In his weakened state, the process of consumption took a good thirty seconds. This time, Kuroko turned away in disgust.

When he finished his meal, he nodded towards the girl and she picked the darts that he had left behind and teleported away, only to reappear a little later with a new Infected.

With each Infected he consumed, Siren felt the hunger fading and his strength returning. Soon, he was able to kill the Infected on his own, without need for Kuroko's darts to weaken it.

A few dozen or so Infected later, Siren sat back after he had finished his latest meal. The garage they were in currently shielded them from prying eyes; if Anti-Skill saw Siren consuming Infected, they'd probably shoot him on sight, and with his regeneration abilities temporarily impaired, he doubted he would be able to survive.

But now that he had consumed dozens of Infected, he was growing more and more confident in his survivability. He would have preferred to begin grabbing the Infected on his own, but he knew that it would be a foolish thing to do, seeing as the Evolved and Anti-Skill where still out there.

"How can you so carelessly consume these creatures? And humans as well? It's cannibalism!"

Siren looked over to Kuroko with an annoyed expression. "When I consume humans and Infected, it's about as close to cannibalism as you eating a hamburger would be."

Kuroko narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't know what you did to get the others to become so accepting of this vile act, but I won't accept it. I refuse to."

Siren sighed. "Whether or not you're comfortable with my eating habits is not my problem. And the others don't give me any crap about it because they _understand_ that it's my nature. I can't survive without biomass, and they know it. Besides, most of the humans I've consumed are criminals and whatnot. You should be thanking me for cleaning up the trash in this city."

Kuroko grunted, to which Siren responded to by rolling his eyes.

"Look, let's stick to the schedule. Can you go grab another Infected? I'm still not back to full health."

_Or, at least as healthy as a virus can get._

"Fine," Kuroko responded quickly. She disappeared for a few seconds before reappearing with an Infected.

As soon as it saw him, the creature swung a mutated, decaying arm at Siren. He brought up his left arm and slapped away the deformed limb, grabbing the Infected by the throat with his other hand.

He lifted up the Infected into the air and threw it into the ground. Before it could react, he began viciously striking its head, crushing the skull and brain with the first hit.

As he attacked, tendrils shot from his body, engulfing and consuming the Infected.

He pulled back, the tendrils disappearing into him. He craned his neck and rolled his shoulders, a small smile touching his lips. He was almost back to full strength.

"That smile is almost as disturbing as the Infected," Kuroko said while shrinking away from him in mock disgust.

Siren glanced over to her in annoyance. "Just go and grab another Infected."

Kuroko, who seemed to be getting tired of teleporting back and forth, responded with a groan before teleporting away.

She reappeared a few seconds later with another Infected. Before the Infected could even move, Siren had already punched a hole clean through its chest. He wanted to save time, and a struggling Infected did little to help him achieve that.

He quickly consumed the Infected, nodding to Kuroko to bring him another.

_This is taking forever. Whatever was injected into me earlier must have been considerably stronger than I had anticipated…_

***Page Break***

"So, you're saying you don't know for sure what's powering the barrier?" Mikoro asked.

The frog-faced doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I simply can't explain it. Whoever created this barrier must have been familiar with the Infected, as you call them," he explained.

Mikoro frowned. "Hmm. Interesting. Siren would probably want to know about whoever it was that created the barrier, but it looks like that could take a while, seeing as we don't know who it is."

The doctor nodded. "Speaking of Siren, while I was operating, his clothing suddenly changed. Any idea why?"

Mikoro blinked. "Wait, his clothes changed while he was unconscious? I was under the impression he changed them after he woke up."

The doctor shook his head. "No, his clothing just changed without warning while I was working. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, so I was wondering if that was a common occurrence."

"Huh, he does change his clothes pretty often, but not while knocked out like that. We'll have to ask him once he comes back. Oh, about that; how long has it been since Siren and Kuroko left?"

The doctor looked over to a clock on the wall that Mikoro couldn't see due to the people who blocked her line of sight.

"It's been roughly half an hour. They should be back sometime soon…hopefully."

Mikoro nodded. "Good. The sooner they get back, the sooner we can get a proper plan of attack going."

"Yes, about that, do you know if the Evolved have any weaknesses or anything of the sort?"

Mikoro shrugged. "Out of all of us, I would say that Siren would have the most knowledge about them and so far, he hasn't mentioned any weaknesses."

The doctor frowned. "I see. That is unfortunate; I was hoping we had some information on these invaders."

"Yeah well, they seem to have done a good job of keeping themselves off the radar. Honestly, if it weren't for Siren, I doubt any of us would even know about the viruses until something like this outbreak happened. Although, it'd be great if he wasn't missing some of his memories; they might have proved useful."

The doctor looked over to her in confusion. "He has amnesia?"

"Well, he didn't _completely_ forget everything, but according to him, there are some blank spaces and unexplained memories he has. He believes that he's missing something, or rather, several things."

"Interesting," the doctor mumbled.

***Page Break***

Mikoto yawned as her eyes opened. She groaned as she rose from the bed, her body slightly numb.

She cracked her neck, along with other joints, and stretched, attempting to get her blood flowing.

Through the window, she could make out streaks of sunlight as they appeared across the sky. She smiled at the sight, thankful for something so bright during times that were so dark.

She looked around the room, taking note of the fact that it was currently devoid of people, save for her. She looked around for a bit before realizing that if she wanted to go to the bathroom, she'd have to take a short walk to get to it.

With a groan, Mikoto stumbled towards the door, her footsteps slow and sluggish. Once she reached it, she grabbed the doorknob. Or rather, she attempted to. It'd be more accurate to say that she slapped it in an attempt to get a decent grip.

After some fumbling, she finally managed to walk through the door, her eyelids still heavy from sleep.

The hallway outside the room wasn't empty, but it was there was still more than enough room to walk. Anti-Skill attempted to keep the hospital's hallways clear in case of emergency, so people were only allowed to sit on the sides of larger hallways like this one. Small hallways were kept completely empty to allow maximum movement during emergencies.

Mikoto shut the door behind her as she left for the bathroom. Some people threw glances at her as she passed by, but most kept to themselves. The people who were actually inside the hospital were those that were injured, those that could help the injured, and those that spent time fighting the Infected.

Seeing as she and Kuroko both fought alongside Anti-Skill during some of their missions outside the hospital area, they were both allowed access to the hospital. The people in the hallway were mostly the injured; those with more intense injuries were lying down on makeshift beds, which were basically pieces of clothing thrown together to make a mattress.

Eventually, Mikoto found the bathroom. She almost had a heart attack when she saw herself in the mirror. If she was honest with herself; she looked like she had just awoken from a drug-induced coma.

After some much-needed time in front of a mirror, Mikoto emerged from the bathroom looking, in her opinion, presentable. She took a moment to look at the people she could currently see. Most of them looked defeated and broken; lost without hope of being found.

She clenched her fists in fury. The Evolved came here after Siren, but there was no reason they had to resort to something of this magnitude.

_Killing people and turning them into your own personal army is playing dirty you bastards. You've made this personal for all of us, and now you're going to be dealing with more than just Siren…Speaking of him, is he awake yet?_

Last time she saw him, the silver-haired teen wasn't in the best of conditions. She didn't know how long she was asleep, but if her current level of energy was anything to go by, it wasn't long enough.

"I should probably go and check up on him and see if he's up yet," she mumbled to herself as she began walking towards the room she was told Siren was being held in.

***Page Break***

"Alright, I think we're done here," Siren announced as he finished consuming another Infected. He had lost track of how many of the abominations he had consumed, but he knew the number was large.

"About time," mumbled Kuroko. "I was getting bored with having to bring you your meals. What am I, a maid?"

"You'd make for a very poor maid," Siren replied.

Kuroko glared at him. "Are you saying I'm unattractive?"

"You're also pretty annoying. And loud. And you whine. Did I mention you're annoying?"

Kuroko narrowed her eyes. "Next time, you can save yourself from the Evolved."

"You know, I _was_ grateful, to an extent, but that all flew out the window when you wouldn't shut up about my eating habits."

Kuroko rolled her eyes. "I don't think eating people is considered "bad eating habits". We call it cannibalism."

"I call it lunch; same thing."

Kuroko looked like she was about to respond, but Siren help up a hand in order to silence her.

"Look, I'm back to full health so let's just get back to the hospital. I've got one hell of a story to tell you guys."

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "About…what?"

A grim expression crossed Siren's face. "About the Evolved's plan."

***Page Break***

Touma nearly had a heart attack when Siren and Kuroko appeared behind him.

"Good grief! Couldn't you guys give a heads up before popping in like that?"

Kuroko turned to him. "Siren's got some information he was simply _dying _to share with us," she said sarcastically.

"Is it good news?" Mikoro asked hopefully. She, along with Touma, Index, and Mikoto currently sat in a small, comfortable room with while walls and a coffee table sitting in the middle. Various piece of furniture were scattered throughout the room, giving off the impression of an unused waiting room. Kuroko had called and asked them to gather in this room prior to teleporting here, and the group was relatively close to the room when they received the calls.

Siren took a seat on one of the armchairs. "I'm afraid this is going to…complicate things just a bit."

All eyes turned to him. "Before Laren led me into that trap—"

"Who?" Mikoto asked.

"Laren; he was the blond one. You know, green jacket, green sweatshirt, blue jeans."

"Oh, him."

"Anyway, before he led me into that trap, he explained to me what it was the Evolved were attempting to accomplish."

"Weren't they trying to take over the world?" asked Index.

Siren nodded. "Yes, but apparently, they want to guarantee their position as the most powerful beings on this planet."

He took a breath.

"There are two more. Two more Prototypes. Two more sapient viruses."

Touma felt as though his heart stopped for a second.

"I don't know where they came from, I don't know how they came to be, but there's two more."

The rest of the room remained silent, caught up in the situation's severity.

"Laren said that the Evolved are led by two different people. The lesser of these two works out in the field with the Evolved that are tasked with carrying out missions. The other…he or she is the puppet master, the one pulling all the strings. I have no doubt that these two are the other Prototypes."

Mikoto was the first to snap out of her shock. "Wait, why should we believe this 'Laren' guy? He could by lying to you to try and get you to give up!"

Siren shook his head. "I can't tell why, but every fiber of my being is telling me that he was speaking the truth."

"So…we've gotta deal with two more beings like Siren," whispered Mikoro.

Siren nodded. "There's more to this. I know why they need me. The Evolved; they've found a way to properly merge with the viruses."

Touma's eyes widened. "M-merge with them?"

"In other words, they've found a way to turn the Evolved into complete Prototypes. It will be an entirely new race; one that neither wants nor needs humanity in order to exist. At the moment, the Evolved are essentially humans that have been completely changed by either BLACKLIGHT or REDLIGHT. However, with the use of my DNA, the Evolved would be able to merge with the viruses, shedding their humanity. They'd become sapient viruses, just like I am."

"How is that even possible? How can they go from humans infected with the viruses to being the _actual_ viruses?" Kuroko asked.

"My personal theory is that once they merge, the virus consumes the Evolved, and either the original Evolved assumes control or the virus grows a mind of its own. Either way, the result won't be beneficial to humanity or me."

Mikoto leaned back in her seat. "Why do the bad guys always have such a massive advantage?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

"They can't actually merge unless they have my DNA. Without it, it might take them decades to properly merge through evolution, but by then, humans will have built an efficient anti-Infected weapon. If there's one this I've learned about your race, it's that what you lack in physical strength, you tend to make up for with technology."

Touma smirked. "Wow, didn't think you respected us that much," he said with a grin.

Siren rolled his eyes. "Focus Touma. We need to come up with a plan of attack, or at least attempt to organize ourselves. A head on charge will do us no good. Especially if 'the Two' that Laren spoke of are the Prototypes."

"Wait. That last bit; what did you mean by that?"

Siren sighed. "Remember I said that the lesser of 'the Two' is the one who works in the field with other Evolved?"

The other occupants in the room gave a collective nod.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that he's the one that's spearheading the Evolved's assault against Academy City. Which means one of the other Prototypes—"

"Is in the city," Mikoto breathed.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Kuroko's View of Siren: So, out of everybody who's working with Siren at the moment, Kuroko has, what most people would call, the most realistic view of Siren. She's disgusted with his 'eating habits' and only puts up with him because Mikoto trusts him. Even so, she doesn't trust him very much. Now, Mikoro trusts Siren because he's always protected her and has never shown any intent to harm her. Touma trusts Siren because A) Mikoro trusts him, and B) he believes Siren deserves a chance. He's looking past Siren's violent nature and basing his opinion off of Siren's actions/attitude towards his friends. Mikoto trusts Siren because she feels a [kind of] personal connection with him. They've both experienced twisted experiments, they both understand the burdens that come with power (such as being hunted by a variety of people), and she sees that Mikoro trusts him. Kuroko on the other hand, doesn't have too many reasons to trust Siren. Yes, she sees that Mikoto trusts him, and she respects Mikoto's opinion, but she's having trouble looking past his violent and destructive nature. **

**Little Action?: I didn't want to start throwing in fight scenes when I knew I wouldn't finish them this chapter. I decided I'd leave the fighting for another chapter when I can properly type it out.**

**Siren the Reincarnation: Many might be wondering why Siren hasn't mentioned his 'reincarnation realization' this chapter. Well, at the moment, he's more focused on the task at hand. Other chapters will focus on how he deals with his past.**

**Rika's Realization: So far, Rika has been made out to be a pretty confident character. Seeing her admit that she can't win alone might seem a bit out of character at first, but the way I see it, she's a levelheaded person and the only reason she charged in was because she was blinded by rage. Now that she's thinking a little more clearly, she's realizing that she simply can't win alone. What will she do about this? Read on to find out!**


	21. Chapter 21

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Alright, apologizing in advance because this chapter might be less eventful or odd. The reason? I felt like crap when writing this (must have caught something), and I knew that the next day I had stuff to do, so it was either finish this chapter while feeling pretty sick, or face a few days of delay. Unfortunately, I still did face a day of delay due to an annoying technical difficulty (it's a long story), but here it is, Chapter 21.**

**Other than that, enjoy.**

**Chapter 21**

**Setting Up **

Rika's foot met the road with enough force to shatter concrete. Infected tumbled out of her way as she hit the ground, but before they could strike at her, she had already leapt into the air once more.

_Alright, where to start?_

After realizing she would need support in taking down the Evolved, Rika decided on the two best people to help her; Siren Mercer and Misaka Mikoto. The thought of involving Accelerator crossed her mind, but she decided against it. While his power was great, the Evolved were simply too resilient to be killed by his abilities. It was like a game of rock, paper, scissors; Accelerator simply didn't have the right tools for the job. However, when it came time to mop the Infected off the streets, he would probably be the best choice.

Mikoto would most likely jump at the chance to drive the Evolved from her home, and her electric powers would be useful against the Evolved. Rika had heard that one of Blackwatch's most skilled members faced off against Alex Mercer with an electric baton of sorts, and did rather well.

The issue was Siren Mercer. Rika knew that the two had some…history. She had mistaken him for Alex Mercer and had attempted to kill him prior to the outbreak. He no doubt wanted to kill her now, but she was hoping to convince him otherwise. She knew that he was one of the strongest in Academy City right now, and with him helping her, the Evolved wouldn't stand a chance. With any luck, he wouldn't recognize her and the two could forget about their encounter.

_Yeah, like that'll happen. But still…his resemblance to Alex Mercer is…uncanny._

***Page Break***

"Alright then," Siren began. "Where do we begin?"

"I think we should start off with getting Mikoro behind a computer with access to the city's cameras. We'd be far better off with more eyes and ears throughout the city," Mikoto replied.

Siren nodded. "Makes sense. Anybody know where we can get Mikoro a functioning computer?"

Nobody responded at first, but then Kuroko spoke up. "Maybe that doctor can get her to a computer."

Mikoto turned to her clone. "Do you think you can still hack into the city's cameras with a random computer?"

Mikoro nodded. "I should be able to. With nobody monitoring their software at the moment, it might be easier to hack in."

"So let's pretend we've gotten Mikoro her computer. What then?" asked Siren.

"Well, let's assume the worst; the guy who injected you with that acid has more and is willing to use it," Kuroko replied.

Siren frowned. "I will have probably become immune by the time we encounter them again. I evolve quickly."

Kuroko rolled her eyes. "Yes, but let's say you haven't become immune when we run into them again and they can still inject you. If that's the situation, we should start with the underlings and work our way up. If that substance can hurt you, chances are, it can hurt them, so they probably keep it secure within the hands of their leader, who, according to you, might be another Prototype."

Touma and Index looked between the others as they talked. Planning was not Touma's forte and he felt out of place in this conversation. Index seemed to think the same thing, and the two kept quiet for the time being.

"Fine, let's say that's the situation. If we want to start picking them off, we should find the weakest of the group. If we can find the weakest, we might be able to use them."

"Use them?"

Siren nodded. "We're facing a team; a team is only as strong as the bonds that hold it together. The weakest of the group is often the least loyal because they feel as though they're underappreciated. If the weakest isn't the least loyal, we could use his or her memories to find the least loyal."

"What exactly are you getting at?" Mikoro asked slowly.

Siren sighed. "If we can find the least loyal member in their group, we can begin turning them against each other. If their nature is as violent as mine, they'll tear each other apart because they suspect betrayal."

Mikoto frowned. "Turning them against each other? That sounds kinda…gutless."

Kuroko nodded. "I agree. It's a cheap tactic that is reserved for the lowest of the low."

Siren face palmed. "Oh you've _got_ to be kidding me. We're facing people who aren't going to fight fair. The best way to beat them is to jump down to their level and kick them in the teeth. In other words; to beat someone who plays dirty, you've got to play just as dirty."

"But that's _low_," Mikoto protested.

"But it's _efficient_," Siren retorted. "I don't care if people think I'm _dishonorable _or whatever; having them turn against each other might thin out their ranks, which means the risk of _us_ dying is lessened. What's worth more to you, your honor or the human race?"

"The human race, obviously," Touma spoke up for the first time. "But isn't there a way to do this without having to resort to a lowly tactic like that?"

Siren rolled his eyes. "You want to go verbally convince them to leave the city? Go ahead, I'll make sure to tell your family you died an _honorable _and _fair_ death. Don't you get it? We're facing off against people who will sacrifice thousands just to get what they want. You can't simply reason with them; we have to kill them as soon as possible," he explained.

"Nobody said we're going to try and reason with them," Mikoto began. "We know they need to be…dealt with, but can't we approach this from a different angle?"

"Look," Mikoro said. "Let's try something like this; the Evolved have unique DNA, right?"

Siren nodded.

"Then let's start at the bottom of their food chain and work our way up. As you consume the weaker Evolved, you'll grow stronger and stronger until you can beat their leader on your own. The result is the same as with your method, except with mine, you'll be more powerful."

Siren blinked in her direction. He, of course, _wanted_ to consume at least one Evolved, but that might take time. In his opinion, the quickest was to victory was to turn them against each other, but with Mikoro's method…

"If your method doesn't work, I'm going with mine, like it or not," he told her.

Mikoro grinned at him. "See? That wasn't so hard now, was it?"

Siren rolled his eyes at her, slightly, childlike response.

***Page Break***

Laren kicked the remains of a human body away from himself. The body tumbled over the side of the building, and Laren watched as several Infected scrambled after it once it hit the ground.

The creatures tore at each other with ferocity that couldn't be matched by any animal; their teeth digging into each other's flesh and their decaying fingers prying at the corpse as they attempted to reach it.

Laren sighed and took a step back, away from the edge of the rooftop. The silence lasted for a few more moments until he heard a thump behind him. Turning around, he raised an eyebrow as Grevin approached him.

"Any luck with Mercer?" Laren shook his head. Grevin sighed in response. "Alright, what about the roaring? Any ideas as to what it is?"

Again, Laren shook his head. Every since they first heard the roaring, the Evolved had attempted to identify the source, but to no avail. The Supreme Regurgitator informed them that he hadn't brought the Goliath with them, so that possibility was out of the question.

"And the girl? Do we know what she's after yet?"

Laren sighed. "Shouldn't you be out looking for Mercer?"

Grevin rolled his eyes beneath his Blackwatch mask. "The guy's disappeared off the face of the earth. If we want to find him, we have to wait for him to make a move. If he's somehow in that hospital, we have to wait for him to at least leave the area. None of us can get too close to it without taking damage, and I'm not about to be burned alive by something I can't even see."

Laren shrugged; Grevin's words made sense. When he remained silent, Grevin took it as a queue to continue. "Do we know what the girl's after yet?"

"No. Her appearance was sudden and unexpected. For now, stick to the plan and lay low when you see her. The Supreme Regurgitator was thinking of trying to make an ally out of her, so he wants us to refrain from attacking her."

Grevin nodded. "Seems reasonable. Oh, and by the way, Ares—"

"The Supreme Regurgitator," corrected Laren.

Grevin rolled his eyes between his Blackwatch mask. "_Ares_," he began, putting emphasis on the name. "Told us to be wary of whatever was roaring before; it could be a creature meant to attack the Infected and the Evolved."

Laren raised an eyebrow. "I already received the warning, though, I'm curious; where would the humans have gotten a creature that hunts and kills our kind? If they didn't find it, they must have made it, but when? And how did they know who we were when they were making it?"

Grevin shrugged. "No clue. Point is, we need to be careful out there now."

Laren nodded. "Noted."

***Page Break***

Siren and Mikoto walked down the street, their eyes wide. Countless dead Infected were strung about, their insides spilling out.

Mikoto looked as though she were about to lose what little food might have been in her stomach, while Siren smirked. "I knew Accelerator would be useful in fighting off the Infected," he said quietly.

The corpses of the Infected were everywhere, lying in different position and in different conditions. Some had been battered beyond believe, while others had sharp objects, such as pieces of metal or concrete, lodged in their skulls.

Siren knew that some distance above them, Kuroko watched them from the rooftops, waiting for any significant threat. Should it appear that a retreat was necessary, Kuroko would teleport down to the ground and teleport away with Siren and Mikoto in tow.

After a few minutes, Siren and Mikoto came to a stop at a building. A few more minutes of walking and searching and the two found themselves at the door to Accelerator's home.

Siren activated his thermal vision and frowned. He couldn't detect any heat signatures within the room.

_Odd. Did he leave?_

"Hey, so…is he there?" Mikoto asked unsurely.

Instead of responding, Siren leaned towards the door. "Accelerator, if you're in there and somehow masked your heat signature, know that I'm coming in!"

Without a second thought, Siren kicked the door in, ripping it from its hinges. He was greeted with the sight of an empty, quiet room. For the next few minutes, Siren and Mikoto searched for any signs of the esper, but found none.

"Gone," Siren declared. "He's not hiding in the house; he's left."

Mikoto cocked her head. "Why? Judging by the piles of dead Infected out there, it seemed as though he handled the situation…"

"Yes, it does look that way, but for whatever reason, he's gone. Perhaps something happened to Last Order?"

"We can't know for sure, but we do know that since he's not here, we should leave as well. Our goal was to get him, but he's gone, and we should be too."

Siren nodded. "You're right. Come on, let's go."

Shortly after that, the two were outside, waving their hands, signaling Kuroko. Within a few seconds, the girl had appeared beside Mikoto with a confused expression.

"What? Did he refuse to come with us?"

"He wasn't there at all," Mikoto answered. "We need to get back to the other and tell them that recruiting Accelerator was a wash."

Kuroko's eyes widened. "Do you…do you think he's dead?"

Before Mikoto could respond, Siren was shaking his head. "No, not him. When I went up against him, I had the element of surprise, but now that he's aware that the Evolved and I can heal, he'll be better prepared. If one of the Evolved tried to kill him, Accelerator would have fought back and caused far more damage to the area than what we see here. No, I believe he's left for a different reason."

"What if it wasn't an Evolved that killed him?"

Siren chuckled. "Oh please, no Infected stands a chance against Accelerator. If anyone stands a chance of killing him, it's the Evolved, me, or the other Prototype. Other than that, I find it nearly impossible to believe that Accelerator would be brought down by an Infected, even if it was a Leader Hunter or that Hammerfist thing from earlier."

"Hammerfist thing?" Mikoto asked in confusion. Siren just shook his head. "Not now," he explained. "First, we need to get back to the others and decide our next move."

The two girls beside him nodded, and Kuroko placed her hands on their shoulder, before the three disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a bloody battlefield.

***Page Break***

Touma sighed as he stared out the window. The sun had already risen, and the day had already begun. However, while his friends were out searching for Accelerator he was stuck here; caged like a bird.

Every time Academy City had been threatened, he had been there to fight alongside his friends, using his Imagine Breaker to pummel espers and magicians to the ground. But this? The Evolved weren't affected by his Imagine Breaker, and neither were the Infected. All he could do was stand by and watch as his friends fought his battles for him.

"You look unhappy," a cold voice commented from behind him. Touma turned around as Siren approached him; his strange eyes giving off their odd, blue glow.

"Did you find Accelerator?" he asked.

Siren shook his head. "He wasn't there. He must have moved on to another location, but we don't know what got him to leave."

"Oh. Well then, that's not good. Why aren't you and the other planning something new now?"

Siren shrugged. "I could keep trying, but the others still have to satisfy their hunger."

Touma blinked. "Uh…what?"

Siren rolled his eyes. "The others got hungry and went to eat. I'm walking around and tying to think of something while I wait for them to finish up. Speaking of which, why aren't you eating?"

"I'm not that hungry right now."

A few seconds of silence went by before Siren spoke up. "Anything particular bothering you? It might be significant and you just don't know it."

Touma chuckled at Siren's attempt to start a conversation. "Well, it's just that, almost every time Academy City was threatened, I could help out with my Imagine Breaker. Now I'm just…sitting on the sidelines rooting for the people who are of actual use in this situation."

Siren crossed his arms. "You can't play the hero every day. Sometimes, you're simply not cut out for the job. It happens to everybody."

Touma nodded. "I know, I know. It's just frustrating."

"Lots of things are; take people for example. Some are just insufferable, while others are easy to get along with. Granted, those are few in number…"

Touma smirked. Here he was, being counseled by a being who was utterly convinced that he was, and forever will be, a complete monster. Not to mention Touma had offered some advice to Siren not too long ago. Oh the irony.

"Hey, quick question."

Siren's gaze switched from the window to Touma. "What?"

"After this all blows over and the Evolved are dealt with, what do you plan on doing?"

"I'm leaving the city," he answered without hesitation.

Touma's eyes widened. "Wait, just like that? You're just…leaving?"

"It's not that complicated Touma; after the Evolved and the other Prototype are dealt with here, I'm leaving the city. Simple as that."

"But _why_?"

Siren sighed. "Touma, think about it. Once I consume the Evolved and the other Prototype, I'll know where the one behind it all is. Once I know his or her location, I'm going over there, killing them, and then putting an end to this whole 'take over the world' crap."

"You'll come back, right?"

"Not a chance."

Touma was about to ask why but Siren beat him to the punch. "I know what you're going to ask. Look, as long as there are Evolved out there, they'll be searching for me so they can get my DNA. If I stay here or ever come back, I put your city at risk of more outbreaks. On top of that, staying in one spot wouldn't be too good for me if the Evolved will be looking for me. And if _that's _not enough, all this fighting might attract attention from governments and terrorist groups. Staying in one spot would be suicide, and staying in this city would spell the end of Academy City."

Touma stared at him for a few seconds. "What about Mikoro?"

Siren cocked his head. "What about her?"

Touma's eyes widened. "Do you not care what she has to say about this? Does she even know what you plan on doing?"

"Sometimes, in order to achieve the greater good, you have to allow others to be angry with you. Whether or not Mikoro approves isn't really a factor here. I'm interested in putting an end to the Evolved. That'll keep Mikoro, and the rest of the world out of their hands for good."

"Siren, look how much Mikoro cares for you! Facing the rest of the Evolved alone; that's suicide!"

"Not if I consume the other Prototype. Besides, I'm not going to take them all on at once. When their leader realizes I consumed his or her second in command, the leader will _want_ to fight me. The other Evolved wouldn't be allowed to intervene."

"And you know this because…?"

"Because killing me would be a chance for him or her to show their superiority. They'd gain complete respect from the Evolved and it would be easier to control that lot."

Touma shook his head. "And you're not considering Mikoro's feelings on this matter? Don't you care for her?"

"If I didn't care, I would have let Craig kill her back when he was alive. I _do_ care for her, but not to the level that I'd put her feelings over the fate of Earth. I have no intention of existing in a world where everybody has insane power and are all under the control of one being. I doubt the leader of the Evolved will allow his second in command to live if they get my DNA, and _if_ he or she lets me live after gaining that kind of power, I'd be stuck in the twisted reality the Evolved would create."

Siren slowly took a breath. "What I'm saying is that I'm keeping you all alive by taking on them alone. After I've got what I need from the other Prototype and the Evolved are out of the city, I'm _gone_."

"Look, I'm starting to understand what you're getting at, but isn't there a way to do this without throwing your life away?"

"It's _my_ life so I'll throw it wherever the fuck I want," Siren growled. "I'm not considering anybody's feeling because I'm considering their _lives_. If you want to wait while the Evolved slaughter your race, be my guest, but with everyone they kill, their armies grow as more Infected are born. With every creature the Evolved consume, their strength grows. Given too much time, they'll become unstoppable."

Touma stared at him for a few seconds before sighing. "I'm not going to talk you out of this, am I?"

He was met with a silent glare from Siren. Touma shook his head in defeat.

***Page Break***

After the others had finished their meal, they had begun discussing their next move. Luckily, the frog-faced doctor was able to provide the group with a decent computer, and with that in mind, the main objective was at the moment was to improve Mikoro's field of view, so to speak.

Many of the cameras throughout Academy City had been destroyed by the Infected, limiting Mikoro's view. Siren knew about an old warehouse that held some of the older models of the cameras. Of course, he only knew of the location because he had long since consumed several criminals that had planned on using the cameras for surveillance of their own.

He also knew that the cameras were in working order, thanks to the now dead criminals. With that in mind, the group decided to retrieve the cameras and set them up around Academy City, which was why Kuroko was currently placing a camera on a high ledge, overlooking one of the many city streets.

Unfortunately, before she could move on, Kuroko had to make sure the camera was properly recording and that it wouldn't fall. The other downside was that while doing so, several Flyers would look down upon her and see her as easy, still prey.

Had it not been for Siren and Mikoto knocking the creatures out of the sky, Kuroko would have long since been picked off the building by the Flyers.

On a nearby rooftop, Mikoto fired another bolt of lightning at one of the Flyers. She smirked as the blast hit its target, sending the Flyer into a nearby building, smoke trailing behind its falling form.

Not far from her, Siren was leaping through the air, using his Whipfist to grab and reel in the Flyers for consumption. Mikoto made an effort to avoid blasting Siren out of the sky, but occasionally, one of her blasts would come uncomfortably close to him. She knew he wasn't all that affected by electricity, which was slightly odd, seeing as the Infected seemed rather weak against it.

Mentally shrugging, Mikoto decided she'd ask Siren about such things later. She was about to shoot another Flyer when Kuroko appeared next to her, another camera in hand.

"I'm finished with that one. I'm moving to the next location."

Mikoto nodded and allowed Kuroko to teleport them to another rooftop. After Mikoto was in position, Kuroko teleported to a rooftop a few buildings over and began setting up the new camera.

Siren, noticing the lack of blasts in his general area, turned around and took note of where Mikoto was shooting lightning at another group of Flyers. Looking past her, he quickly spotted Kuroko. His movements and attacks kept these Flyers at bay, but he knew that if too many arrived, Mikoto would have trouble shooting them all down.

Working quickly, he grabbed Flyer after Flyer, consuming them. Even as he fell, he'd grab whatever Flyer he could before his feet hit a building and he jumped into the air once more.

After a few short minutes, the Flyers around him were all gone and he was moving towards Mikoto and Kuroko.

As he neared the next set of Flyers, he swung his Whipfist in a wide arc, tearing through several Flyers at once. He swung again, cutting through the wings of two more Flyers. As the others began taking greater interest in him, he shot his Whipfist out, latching on to another Flyer and yanking it towards himself. Once it was close enough, he reached out and grabbed it with his left hand and quickly consumed the Flyer.

Spinning around, he delivered a bone-crushing kick to the neck of a Flyer, and upon hearing a satisfying crack, he kicked off the Flyer, tackling yet another of the Infected. As he and the Flyer in his hands plummeted towards a rooftop, he flipped forward, hauling the Flyer over his head and slamming it into the rooftop headfirst.

As he turned around to jump once more, he smirked as he watched Flyers falling from the skies above Kuroko. Lightning shot from Mikoto's hands at amazing speeds, utterly annihilating the Flyers.

Though he wouldn't admit it to her, he was slightly impressed by her powers. Granted, she couldn't genetically rewrite living creatures, but still, her ability to control electricity like this was definitely useful in combat.

Mikoto's attacks stopped for a second as Kuroko appeared next to her, indicating that she was moving on to the next spot. Before they set out, the group had planned out where to set the various cameras, and now, they were nearly done. They hadn't been at this for very long, but so far, they hadn't run into any trouble.

_Yet…_

***Page Break***

Red hair trailing behind her, she sprinted across the rooftops, a maniacal grin spreading across her face. The Flyers were acting up in the distance, and with the constant lighting being shot at them, it didn't take a genius to figure out something was up.

She didn't know who or what was out there, but she had dropped everything and made her way towards the area as soon as she noticed.

She hadn't bothered contacting the other Evolved for two main reasons. For one, Mercer might not actually be in the area, so if it wasn't him, none of the Evolved really cared, and two, Clara preferred to keep her kills to herself.

_If Mercer's out there…he's _**mine**_**.**_

***Page Break***

Siren ripped through a Flyer's back with his Claws, sending the creature spiraling towards the ground. He heard another Flyer coming at him from behind, but grinned as he heard it yelp as Mikoto's lightning burned it to a crisp.

He would have nodded at her in acknowledgement, but at the moment, both fighters were too busy killing the Flyers. Sirens hands changed as he activated his Musclemass power and punched a nearby Flyer. The force of the punch shattered its ribcage and sent it rocketing into another of its kind.

Siren spread his limbs and glided away from the Flyers, drawing their attention as Mikoto rapidly fired at them, knocking them out of the sky one by one.

Siren glanced over to Kuroko, noting that she was currently standing up.

_Alright, she's about to move again._

Kuroko disappeared and reappeared a few feet away from Mikoto. After notifying her where she was moving, Kuroko teleported them to a new building before teleporting herself and the cameras to a building close to Mikoto.

Siren had suggested that Kuroko teleport Mikoto to the same rooftop as her, but being that close, Mikoto's blasts would distract Kuroko as she tried to work.

Siren quickly located the Flyer that was closest to Kuroko and took aim, drawing his Whipfist back. Just as he was about to try and grab the Flyer, he heard someone shout one, single word from above him.

"MERCER!"

It was all he could to turn around before a pair of clenched fists slammed into his head, sending him flying towards the ground. The force of the attack was incredible, and before he could catch himself, he met the ground below.

***Page Break***

Mikoto whirled around as she heard a female voice shouting. As she turned around, her eyes widened as she watched a figure descend upon Siren. Raising both arms over her head, the woman slammed her fists on top of Siren's head, sending him flying into the ground.

As Siren was hauling himself to his feet, the woman dived at him, seemingly intent on crushing him. Mikoto's eyes narrowed and she fired a blast of electricity at the woman, disrupting her dive. The woman managed to avoid the blast, but her aim was no off and she landed away from Siren as he stood up.

Mikoto turned around to look at Kuroko, who was already looking down at the situation with a surprised expression. The girl quickly teleported to Mikoto's side, then teleported the two of them to the ground close to Siren.

"Who is this? What happened?" Kuroko asked in confusion.

"This lunatic showed up out of nowhere and slammed into Siren. She must be one of the Evolved," Mikoto growled.

As the two neared Siren, the woman rose to her full height, her long red hair flapping slightly in the wind. Her attire consisted of a white lab coat, white shirt, black pants, and brown shoes.

Her burning red eyes and wide grin gave her an overall disturbing look as she walked towards the three.

"Mercer," she hissed. "Finally found you."

Siren narrowed his eyes as he stood up. "That you did. Now then, who are you?"

"Somebody who needs your DNA a lot more than you do," she replied.

"Uh huh. Tell me, do you expect me to just hand it over?" Siren asked threateningly.

The woman's grin widened. "I sincerely hope you wouldn't just hand it over. I came all the way out here to get a good fight, and buddy, you're _going _to give me that fight."

Siren raised an eyebrow. "_Just_ for _that?_ Not because anybody ordered you, but because you simply wanted a fight?"

Mikoto couldn't help but roll her eyes as she realized what Siren was getting at. He was attempting to evaluate how loyal this Evolved was to her superiors.

"Sure, my boss asked me to come to Academy City, but what brought me aboard was the chance for a _challenge_."

Siren faced her dead on. "Imbecile; there's three of us and one of you. I don't know about you, but those odds seem fairly bad in your favor, especially if Laren's level of ability was anything to go by."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "You think I'd let your friends interfere here? Sorry pal, but that's _not_ how it's going to work." With that, the woman raised her arm and dozens of Infected leapt from the rooftops behind her.

Mikoto's eyes widened as the Infected poured from the rooftops.

_How did we miss that? You'd think we'd have seen a small army on the rooftops just waiting for us!_

She looked back to the woman.

_Those Infected must have followed this lunatic here…_

As the Infected landed, Mikoto took note that some of them had…Claws. Others had Blades, and one or two had Whipfists.

"Siren," she asked slowly. "Why do those Infected have powers?"

Siren's eyes were currently glued to the woman as she stared at him with that same, large grin plastered on her face. "Good question," he replied. "Looks like we'll have to do this her way," he growled.

Mikoto and Kuroko looked over to him.

"Distract the Infected; I'll kill the Evolved."

The two girls nodded and took battle stances. The Infected slowly began to walk forward, their pace increasing.

The red-haired woman gave a short chuckle before she began moving forward as well. Within a few seconds, both the Infected and the female Evolved were sprinting towards the group.

With a shout, Mikoto unleashed a torrent of electricity towards the Infected. The woman jumped into the air to avoid it, and at the same time, Siren leapt forward, transforming his hands into Claws and reaching out in a feral pounce.

Kuroko grabbed several of her darts and instantly threw them towards the crowd of Infected.

Time seemed to slow as the two factions met head on; the hope of Academy City squaring off against the shadow that was attempting to engulf it.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Siren's Decision: Clearly, Siren wants the Evolved dead and gone. Now, he's not really considering anybody's feeling because, as he stated, he's considering their lives. This isn't what one would call an act of heroism, but rather, it's somebody trying to kill a group of people, of which a byproduct is the preservation of the human race. He's trying to keep the Evolved away from humans so that they can't spawn any more Evolved or Infected.**


	22. Chapter 22

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**I was going to post this chapter on Friday evening, but then school got just a tad bit crazy and I decided to go to sleep early on Friday and get some work done early Saturday morning, so I couldn't finish the chapter on Friday. Then, on Saturday, I was busy in the evening, so there went my writing time. On Sunday, I was faced with a rather annoying problem, so I was unable to post, even though the chapter was already done, and don't even get me STARTED on Monday. Tuesday offered the same issue as Sunday, and now here we are; an overdue chapter finally being posted. Apologies for the delay; it annoys me too. I've just had a string of bad luck with posting this chapter.**

**Not much else to say; so read and [hopefully] enjoy.**

**Chapter 22**

**Welcome to the Battlefield**

Siren brought his Claws together as though he were trying to clap as he neared the woman. His bladed fingers would have cut her in half had she not twisted midair. As his Claws skimmed her back, the woman whirled around and aimed a punch at the right side of his face.

Siren bent his head forwards as though bowing, just as Mikoto's electricity sent several of the Infected into the air. When the woman's punch missed, Siren planted his foot in the ground, which was only a few feet below, and reeled back as though hit. His feet stayed in one spot, and as his body lurched forward, he slammed his fist into the surprise woman's shoulder.

He had aimed for her head, but the redhead had managed to move ever so slightly, despite her surprise at his odd movements. The punch he delivered sent the woman spinning, causing her to land on the street on all fours.

She gave him a lopsided grin before charging again. Siren jumped back, hoping to lead the Evolved away from Mikoto and Kuroko as they battled the Infected. For once, he lucked out and the woman followed him without hesitation, the grin never leaving her face.

Siren's eyes widened as the woman reached out with her arms, the limbs covered in red tentacles. In less than a second, her arms and hands were replaced with an odd looking version of his Musclemass. At least, he assumed that's what it was.

Her arms looked very similar to his when he used his Musclemass, except hers were more slender and her fingers ended in sharp, bladed tips. He had little time to react as the woman drew back her fist and let rip a powerful punch.

Her fist slammed into his chest, sending him flying further backwards, knocking dozens of Infected from his path. He came to a stop as he crashed into a car, sending it tumbling, but halting his own movement.

His head snapped up and he cursed under his breath as the Evolved came down upon him again. Raising his hand, he quickly formed his Shield and blocked her attack. The woman grunted as her fist made contact with the Shield, and Siren responded by slapping her aside with it, giving himself some breathing space.

As the woman came to a halt, Siren had already transformed his arm into his Whipfist. He swung his weapon in a wide arc, cutting through several of the Infected that were aimlessly walking about, but he missed the woman as she jumped over his attack.

Out of the corner of his eye, Siren spotted Mikoto and Kuroko holding their own quite well against the small army the Evolved had brought with her. He would have given more thought to the Infected's powers, but was forced out of his thoughts as he noticed the woman descending upon him.

Pulling back his Whipfist, Siren thrust his arm forward, sending the Whipfist towards the woman. The woman spun out of the way, landing near a group of Infected. As Siren rushed towards her, he noticed her picking up an Infected by the throat. Thinking she was going to consume it for more power, he moved faster, trying to catch the Evolved in her moment of weakness.

However, he was surprised to find that the Evolved had plunged her middle and index fingers into the Infected's neck. Siren skidded to a stop and watched as red and black tentacles wormed around the Infected's body as the creature struggled.

Though he was surprised, he didn't really show it, but even he had trouble containing his confusion as the woman threw the Infected at him. Acting quickly, Siren's right arm transformed into his Blade and he lashed out at the Infected, attempting to cut it in half midair.

Siren was ready to cut through the creature and rush the woman, but the moment his Blade made contact, massive, red tentacles shot from the Infected's body. Several attached themselves to other Infected, and one attached itself to his chest.

Siren would have been confused, but before he could register what had happened, the tentacles that had shot out of the Infected's body suddenly retracted, immediately dragging him, and the other Infected who were grabbed by the tentacles, to a center point.

Several things happened at once; Siren and the various Infected slammed into each other, then the original Infected exploded, sending everyone flying and shooting red tentacles in every direction. The tentacles slammed into various Infected and cars, ripping through them with ease.

Siren landed on his back, grunting as he did so. He quickly scrambled to his feet as he heard the woman speaking.

"Like that, eh? It's called the bio-bomb. Pretty useful in taking down those annoying losers who use ranged weapons like the Whipfist."

Siren narrowed his eyes. _This_ was something new. He had no memories of such an attack, and nobody he consumed had known anything of this, not even Craig.

Siren grinned back at the woman. Suddenly, his body became a mass of writhing red and black tentacles. The Evolved stepped back in surprise, as the tentacles shot forward, and seemed to begin forming a body. Within a few seconds, a Flyer stood in front of Siren, its face devoid of emotion, recognition, or reaction.

"Like it, eh? It's called regurgitation; pretty useful for taking down annoying assholes who throw bio-bombs everywhere." He pointed towards the Evolved and said a single word.

"Kill!"

With that, the Flyer scrambled forward, throwing itself at the woman. She simply grinned and jumped back, allowing the Flyer to take off and try to tackle her. The moment it got close, the woman pulled back her fist and punched the Flyer in the neck, crushing its bones and knocking it to the ground.

However, the moment its body fell out of her field of view, the woman found Siren's foot connecting rather painfully with her skull. As he slammed into her, she was sent tumbling backwards, giving Siren the chance to rush forwards, his arms morphing into Hammerfists.

Lifting both Hammerfists over his head, he brought them down on the ground, sending dozens of tendrils through the ground towards the woman. Each tendril tore through the ground before sticking out of it in the form of massive, red and black spikes.

The woman jumped to the air before the spikes could tear through her, spreading her arms as she fell towards the ground once more, landing a safe distance from Siren's spikes.

"Interesting. Your lack of a stomach causes you to regurgitate just like our boss does."

Siren blinked before the realization hit him.

_No stomach means he or she must be the other Prototype; Prototypes don't have or need stomachs like the Evolved._

"So, I was correct in assuming your leader is a Prototype?"

The woman grinned at him once more. "Nicely done. It's good to see your mind hasn't been completely dulled by your little…change."

His eyes narrowing, Siren took a step towards the woman. "And what exactly do you know of my _change_?"

"Not too much, but almost certainly more than you do. If you had joined us sooner, we could have given you the memories you so dearly desire. Oh well, I came here for a fight, so there's no time to try and convince you to join us now!"

With that, she leapt forwards, stretching out her hands as she tried to grab Siren. Siren threw his right Hammerfist forward, attempting to strike her head. Unfortunately, his Hammerfist was slower than the Evolved, and the woman grabbed onto the mace-like limb, flipping over him and twisting his arm with her.

Once behind him, she grabbed him from behind and flipped him over her body, slamming him into the ground headfirst. As she lifted her foot to stomp on his head, the Evolved yelped as Siren's Hammerfist knocked her feet out from under her.

As she fell, Siren dove forward, moving himself out of the woman's reach. Without turning around when he came to a stop, Siren threw both Hammerfists over his head and allowed the momentum to carry him in a backwards fall.

The female Evolved, her eyes widening as the Hammerfists came down upon her, vaulted over Siren. However, Siren anticipated this, and as he fell backwards, he brought his right foot up, slamming it into the woman's head as she vaulted over him.

She was thrown back by the force of the kick, grunting as she tumbled across the street. As she moved to stand up, Siren was already in front of her, pulling back his right Hammerfist as he prepared to hit her. Throwing the massive limb forwards, he delivered a powerful strike to her head once more, causing spit and blood to fly from the female Evolved's face.

Once again being sent tumbling backwards by his attack, the woman planted her hands on the street. With her Musclemass power activated, she ripped a chunk of the street off, and as Siren closed in, she threw it at him, forcing him to dodge.

As he rolled out of the way, the woman rushed forwards, plunging her index and middle fingers into his throat. That alone did practically nothing to harm him, but as the woman jumped back, Siren was surprised to find massive tentacles shooting from his body, spearing nearby Infected and other objects before all the tentacles retracted, pulling along with them whatever they grabbed.

Siren was battered by a car, a chunk of the street, and several Infected as the tentacles closed in. Just when he thought it was over, an explosion of tendrils sent him flying, leaving behind what looked like a frozen fountain of liquid flesh.

It took him a second to realize he couldn't actually _see_ the Evolved, and in a moment of panic, he whirled around trying to locate her. He didn't have to search for long, because as soon as he started looking for her, he felt a fist slam into the top of his head.

"Surprise!"

Siren grunted as he was sent crashing into the street once more. The woman stood over him, raising her fist over her head. Before she could bring it down however, Siren's feet shot out and he kicked the woman in the chest, causing her to stumble backwards.

She stood back as he jumped to his feet. The woman gave him a sly grin as she rubbed the area where he had kicked her in mock pain. "Ouch," she said with a tone that implied that she was completely fine. "You know, if you wanted to get so intimate, all you had to do was ask," she purred.

"No thanks, I'd probably catch something," he replied without missing a beat. He rushed forward, his Hammerfists fading as his Blade appeared. With a final push of his legs, he gave himself a boost of speed and slashed with his Blade in a horizontal slice.

The woman jumped over his Blade, throwing a punch at his face. Dodging the incoming attack by moving his head, Siren grabbed the woman by the back of the head with his free hand. He then brought his head forwards with as much force as he could, slamming it into the woman's face.

She grunted as she was forced away from him, giving Siren a chance to plunge the Blade into her chest. Spinning around, Siren allowed the woman to slide off his Blade, sending her crashing into a building. His eyes narrowed as he watched the wound heal as the woman stood up.

"Well done Mercer," she said while clapping. "At least you haven't lost your fighting abilities."

"You keep calling me by my name," he replied slowly. "But I don't have yours…"

He left the unspoken question handing, waiting for a response.

"Clara," the woman said after a few seconds. "My name is Clara."

***Page Break***

Mikoto yelped as an Infected swiped at her head. She ducked under the attack, only for the Infected to fall dead as Kuroko gave it a swift death with a dart to the head. Nodding in silent thanks, Mikoto turned and unleashed a devastating torrent of lightning at the Infected.

Several of the creatures were sent flying away from her, which, while very good for her, still confused her. The Infected seemed susceptible to electricity, but Siren hadn't been. Once again, the electric esper found herself wondering _why_ the silver-haired teen seemed so resistant to lighting

She was pulled from her thoughts as an Infected leapt at her, its Claws spread wide as it attempted to cut her to pieces. Raising her hand, she fired a blast of electricity into the Infected's chest, knocking it back. Whirling around, she dodged a Whipfist from one of the other Infected. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted the Infected who possessed the ranged weapon.

She drew back her hand and prepared to shoot the monster, but was interrupted as something slammed into her, tackling her to the ground. She barely had time to lift her hands to shove away the clamping jaws of the Infected as it attempted to bite down on her throat.

Her eyes widened as the Infected raised its Claws over its head, attempting to deliver a killing blow. Acting fast, Mikoto's hands shot up and grabbed the Infected by the shoulders, and before it could react, she pumped electricity into its body. While this might've killed a normal person by stopping their heart, it couldn't kill the Infected on top of her. The creature had long since stopped relying on its heart, so the attack merely stunned the creature. That gave Mikoto the opportunity to blast the Infected off of her, allowing her to jump to her feet.

As soon as she was up however, Mikoto was rolling away from an Infected as it slammed its Blade into the ground where she stood a moment ago. Quickly rising to her feet, she glared at the silent creature as it gave her a glare of its own.

She was about to blast it, but a dart from Kuroko brought the creature down before either she or the Infected could react.

With a serious expression, she raised her hands over her head as lighting danced at her fingertips. Bringing her hands down, she sent yet another torrent of electricity at the remaining Infected, of which two dozen or so remained. Several of the creatures jumped back in an attempt to avoid her attack, but to no avail. Mikoto's attack killed some of the Infected, stunned others, and even crippled some by burning their limbs.

"Onee-sama! Behind you!"

Mikoto whirled around at the sound of Kuroko's voice and her eyes widened as she watched a massive, grey Infected marching towards her. Its fists looked very similar—identical actually—to Siren's Hammerfists.

"Kuroko! Keep these guys distracted; I'll take down the big guy!"

Mikoto didn't bother waiting for a reply, opting to charge at the Infected. She had no clue as to what this was, but she knew that if the Hunters were dangerous, then something of this size must be powerful as well.

She blasted the giant as she ran, but found that her electrical attacks did little more than stun it. Her eyes widened as the Infected raised an oversized arm before slamming it into the ground. She gasped as she felt the ground rumbling beneath her, and was forced to dive out of the way as giant, red and black spikes erupted from the ground.

She shot electricity towards its face as it dislodged its Hammerfist, but, again, found that the electricity could only knock the Infected around or stun it.

_Looks like I'll just have to try harder._

With a smirk Mikoto produced a coin from her pocket, balancing it on her thumb and aiming at the Infected's head…

***Page Break***

Siren had noticed the massive Infected as soon as it had appeared. He knew that Mikoto and Kuroko were already aware of its prescense, so he maintained focus on the woman in front of him.

Speaking Clara, she was currently fending off a group of Flyers Siren had regurgitated. He smirked to himself as he watched her fend off the creatures.

_Looks like storing those things instead of downright killing them came in handy._

While planting the cameras, Siren had taken the time to 'consume' dozens of Flyers. It was different from his normal consumption in the sense that he didn't actually kill the Flyers; rather, he stored them in his own body in the form of liquid biomass. Craig's memories told him that the man had stored the liquidated Infected in his stomach, but Siren, lacking a stomach, resorted to storing the Infected within a 'biomass pocket' that he created inside of him—where his stomach would have been, had he been a human.

Unlike Craig however, he didn't need to establish control over them prior to releasing them. Seeing as he was the BLACKLIGHT virus, the Infected were brought under his control as soon as he stored them in his body. On top of that, instead of literally regurgitating them through his mouth as Craig did, he was able to expel them from his own body and allow them to reform under his control.

But he had found out the hard way that regurgitating more than one creature at a time put a massive strain on his body. He mentally vowed to never try to regurgitate a group of creatures at once ever again. Next time, he'd have to just do it one by one.

As a result of his haste, he was now sitting by and watching as his Flyers fought for him as he waited for his body to stabilize. He found himself grinning as he watched _his_ Flyers relentlessly attack Clara. Turning the Evolveds' own creatures against them gave Siren a small sense of satisfaction.

He also found himself silently hoping that his body would recover before Clara slaughtered all his Flyers. Should she come after him before he was recovered, he wouldn't be able to stop her.

He watched as Clara kicked a Flyer in the chest, knocking it to the ground before stomping down on it, crushing its ribcage and then proceeded to do the same to its skull. Siren had noticed that once he regurgitated the Infected, they seemed stronger; probably due to being stored inside the very virus that had aided in bringing them to life, or to whatever state these creatures existed in, for many wouldn't consider it "life".

Clara spun around, delivering a kick to a Flyer's midsection as it swooped down to grab her. She made eye contact with Siren for a second, but this time, it was her that frowned and him that grinned.

"Shouldn't have tried to regurgitate so many at once, Mercer! You're not at that level yet!"

Clara ran forward, dodging the attacks of his Flyers as she sprinted towards him, preparing to attack him. Siren's eyes widened. He prepared to dodge, knowing that the regurgitation had weakened him and that taking a hit from Clara wasn't ideal at the moment.

However, before Clara could reach him, one of his Flyers slammed into her back, causing her to fall forwards. Digging its talon-like toes into her back, the Flyer forcefully dragged Clara back, frantically flapping its fleshy wings to drag the Evolved.

Clara attempted to grab the ground, but was too late; the Flyer had already begun lifting her. The woman narrowed her eyes as Siren's gaze remained locked with hers as she was dragged away.

Siren had noted at how quickly the woman's mood changed, but he couldn't help smirking slightly as he watched the Flyer drag her into the air. Granted, Clara was able to quickly flip up and grab the Flyer by its mutated wings.

Clara brought her feet up and planted them on the Flyer's midsection and kicked off, ripping the wings off with her. Both the Evolved and the Flyer came down to the ground, Clara landing on her feet, while the Flyer landed on its back with a combination of a growl and grunt.

Clara scrambled to her feet and Siren quickly counted up how many Flyers he had remaining. At the moment, four of his regurgitated Flyers were still in fighting condition. He pointed to Clara, and spoke in a commanding tone.

"_End _this!" he shouted, putting emphasis on 'end'.

Immediately, the Infected obeyed, rushing the Evolved as their master had commanded. With no regard for their own safety, the Flyers dove at her like kamikazes, their mouths hanging open.

Clara narrowed her eyes and jumped, kicking out with legs, both of which connected. One foot slammed into a Flyer's head, crushing its skull and turning what was left of its brain to paste, while the other foot slammed into a Flyer's neck, tearing through it, causing the head to detach from the rest of the body.

Siren couldn't help but frown at display, but kept silent. Grabbing the third Flyer by the head, Clara brought it down into the ground with a loud crash, followed by the sound of her crushing the Flyer's head beneath her foot.

Whirling around to face the last Flyer, Clara's eyes widened as she realized it was already upon her. Without time to react, Clara was forced to take the hit as the Flyer drove its head into her face, knocking her backwards.

This attack left the Flyer slightly disoriented, and before it could do anything Clara had jumped to her feet and lashed out, punching a hole through the creature's chest. She turned around, but before she could do anything, she was tackled by a recovered Siren. The two slammed into the ground, Siren raising his fists over his head, his Hammerfist power activating.

_A perfectly timed recovery…_

Clara crossed her arms over her face just as Siren brought down his Hammerfists. The force of the blow was greater than what she could handle, and Clara found Siren's Hammerfists, as well as her own arms, being slammed into her face.

Siren pulled back again before delivering another punch—one that Clara attempted to block, but to no avail. As Siren raised his Hammerfist for a third blow, he became aware of a slight rumbling beneath him, and before he could react, black and red spikes erupted behind him, one of the impaling him through the chest as it rose, forcing him to rise with it.

***Page Break***

As Mikoto prepared to fire her railgun, she noticed the massive Infected raise its arm once more. Before she could aim and fire, the Infected brought down its fist, and Mikoto felt a rumbling coming from beneath her.

Thinking the Infected was trying to impale her again, she jumped out of the way, but was surprised to find no spikes emerging from the ground. However, she turned her head as she heard something akin to an explosion going off somewhere behind her.

She quickly saw Siren struggling to remove himself from a spike that ran through his chest. The spike had gone deep—several feet of it could be seen protruding from Siren's chest as he attempted to dislodge himself.

The next thing Mikoto noticed was that the female Evolved was standing up, seemingly preparing to attack Siren. Mikoto's eyes widened and she turned around entirely, aiming the coin at the Evolved. As soon as she had a clear shot, she fired her railgun, the lightning from her attack illuminating the area with its brilliant light. Before anyone could react, the coin connected with the woman, sending her flying with a loud scream.

She bounced across the street several times before slamming into a building wall, demolishing the structure. Siren looked over to Mikoto, a surprised expression on his face. However, his expression quickly changed to one of panic as he reached a hand out towards her.

"Behind you!"

Mikoto whirled around, he eyes widening as another Infected with a Whipfist attempted to attack her. Swinging its mutated limb, the chain-like weapon extended, rocketing towards Mikoto's chest. The girl managed to twist out of the way, avoiding the Whipfist by centimeters as it passed by her lower back and impaled an Infected with Claws.

Stepping away from the chain-like appendage, Mikoto fired another blast of electricity at the Infected with the Whipfist, knocking it onto its back. Before it could respond, another one of Kuroko's darts put the Infected down for the count.

Once again, Mikoto noticed the giant Infected standing up once more. Its fist was no longer implanted in the street, and Mikoto noticed the spikes had retracted, leaving Siren to stand to his feet as his body healed the gaping wound in his chest.

Turning her attention back towards the massive Infected, she prepared to fire another railgun. "Kuroko!" she shouted, getting the girl's attention. "I'm going to try to fire another railgun at it; keep the other Infected busy and give Siren a hand if he needs it!"

She didn't wait for Kuroko to respond as she turned around to face the Infected as it stomped towards her. She prepared to obliterate the Infected with her signature attack as it slowly closed in on her.

***Page Break***

Siren sprinted towards Clara as she attempted to drag herself from what remained of the building she had crashed into.

As she stood, Siren jumped forward, dropkicking the woman in the chest, sending her flying backwards once more.

_If I were her, I would have called for backup by now…Either she can't call the others right now, or she's simply too obsessed with fighting to allow them to interfere. Oh well, both ways work for me._

Siren allowed his hand to transform into a Whipfist. Pulling it back, he allowed his blade-tipped limb to extend as he swung it. The tip was about to run Clara through her neck, but just as it got close, her hands shot up, grabbing his Whipfist.

She slowly looked up at him, her red eyes wide with…pleasure?

"This…this feels _amazing_," she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. "Every second we fight causes this feeling to shoot through me. Oh and that girl; her electric attack was sheer _bliss_," she stretched out the last part of the word in a snake-like hiss.

_Okay…what is she, a combat masochist?_

Clara gave off a low giggle as her grip on his Whipfist tightened. "That's what's so _fun_ about pain." Another giggle. "It's so…_addicting_."

Siren remained silent, wonder how someone as delusional as this was considered 'loyal' among the Evolved. The fact that she was this powerful meant she had received unique DNA, which, according to Laren, was only given to the more loyal Evolved.

A second of silence passed before Clara's eyes widened further in delusional joy. "Come then! Let's see if the stories about you are true, ZEUS!"

Before he could register what was happening, Clara yanked him forward, her grip on his Whipfist as tight as ever. The moment he was close enough, she kicked him in the stomach and whirled around, stabbing his own Whipfist into his shoulder.

Grabbing him by the sides of the head, she swung her own head backwards before jerking forwards, connecting with Siren's nose. He stumbled backwards, Whipfist quickly reforming as his Shield appeared in its place.

He lashed out, nearly backhanding Clara with his Shield. She managed to avoid the attack and came in from his right—the side without the Shield. As she attempted to grab his right arm, he transformed it into a Blade just as she grabbed it.

Spinning around for momentum, he swung his Blade in a wide arc, nearly cutting Clara in two. She vaulted over him, rolling to a stop before jumping backwards and out of the crumbling building.

Siren took off after, holding his Shield in front of him as he ran through the already crumbling wall. Coming to a stop a few feet away from Clara, he took a second to look over the Evolved's shoulder at Mikoto and Kuroko.

The Hammerfist Infected thing was dead, a steaming hole in its face, presumably from Mikoto's railgun, however, many other Infected remained, drawing the girls' attention away from the Evolved and himself.

_She must have fired her railgun while I was taking to Clara in the building._

"Stay focused!"

His attention snapped back to Clara as she charged him. He raised his Shield, blocking her initial charge and counterattacking with a short burst of speed as he moved forward, swinging his Blade several times, creating a small gash across Clara's midsection.

He jumped as Clara kicked out at him, his limbs leaving small, red trails as he moved. He held his Blade over his head before flipping forward and falling to the ground. He held it parallel to his body, the back end pointed downwards.

Clara dashed out of the way as he slammed into the street, his Blade sinking into the ground.

Clara capitalized on his moment of stillness by grabbing him under the armpits and jumping backwards, flipping him over her body and slamming him headfirst into the ground.

He slowly fell backwards, landing on his stomach. He scrambled to his feet as Clara's fists came down on the spot where he had been a moment ago.

Jumping backwards, his feet hit a building wall and he kicked off, launching himself forward, reaching out with his Blade.

Clara jumped out of the way, but Siren grinned, having anticipated this. As he neared the ground, his Blade and shield were replaced with his Whipfist. He swung in just as his feet hit the ground, the blade-tipped end embedding itself in Clara's throat.

She grunted as Siren yanked her towards himself. As soon as she was close enough, he delivered an uppercut, sending her flying into the air. His Whipfist remained intact, extending as Clara flew upwards. Abruptly, Siren yanked on his Whipfist, bringing Clara back down to the ground.

Her landing was loud and kicked up dust and pieces of the street. Before she could get up, Siren rushed over to her, jumping over her, using his Whipfist to flip her over his head.

She landed face-first on the street, but didn't stay down for long. She moved faster than Siren had expected, what with the way she jumped and began sprinting away from him. He leapt after her, his Whipfist fading as his normal arms took shape.

Before she could get far, he grabbed her hands and managed to plant his foot on her back before she could turn around.

"So you like pain? Hope this satisfies!"

He began pulling back, using his foot to push Clara forward while he pulled her hands back. He was sure her arms were about to be torn off, but before he could finish the job, she bent forward, letting her feet slide backwards, which caused Siren to lose his balance and fall down with her.

Clara caught herself, and Siren found himself falling on her back. As he tried to get up, Clara rolled over, pushing Siren on his back with her lying on top of him. He grunted as her Musclemass-reinforced elbow was driven into his midsection.

Clara leapt off him, twisting midair and grinning at him.

"Sorry pal, you _didn't_ satisfy!"

She landed on her feet, skidding back a little before running back towards him. "Let me show you what I do to guys who can't satisfy!"

Siren managed to get out of the way before Clara could crush the ground he was lying on with her fists. Jumping backwards, he allowed tendrils to shoot from his body, the viral biomass coming together in the form of a Flyer.

Using his earlier experience as a guide, he only regurgitated one this time, minimizing the strain on his body. The Flyer looked around for less than a second before its eyes locked on Clara's form.

The woman's eyes narrowed as the Flyer took off, circling overhead. She spared a glance at the creature as it rose, and Siren seized the moment. The moment her eyes were off him, he dashed forward, activating his Musclemass power and driving his fist into Clara's stomach before she could react.

His attack forced her back, her body repairing any damage done by Siren's attack. As she glared up at him, her eyes widened as she heard a screech above her. Acting on what seemed like instinct, Clara dove out of the way as Siren's Flyer crashed into the street were the woman once stood.

Rolling to a stop she rose to her feet, her fists clenching, but her eyes betraying no anger.

"Exhilarating, isn't it? Battles in general, no matter how small or how large, never cease to excite me," Clara commented. "It's the only thing more addicting than pain."

Siren said nothing as he and the female Evolved watched each other. The silence lasted for a few more second before…

"Tell me, what's my connection to Alex Mercer?"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "I think you know just as well as I do that I can't tell you that."

"What's the harm? You'd just be telling me how I'm connected to a man who's apparently disappeared off the face of the Earth."

"That information would have been given to you had you joined us."

"Fine then, answer me this question instead; why do you work for them?"

"Pardon?"

"The other Prototypes; why do you bother working for them? What have they done to deserve your respect?"

At this, Clara chuckled. "Why do I work for them? Buddy, they _created _me. I'd have been sentenced to death sooner or later had they not come to me. It's because of them that I have this power, and it's for them that I will use it."

She grinned before continuing.

"You know, the greatest advantage the Evolved and the Prototypes have is the ability to, well, _evolve_. We all change, adapt, _mutate,_ and when working together, we can evolve even faster. With all of us working together, we've been able to advance further and faster. Given time, we'll evolve _far_ beyond you."

Siren found himself frowning at her words.

"You see Siren; _this_ is what you've turned your back on. _This _is the destiny you ignored. Fate handed you power, control, the means to attain _immortality_, and yet you slapped it away, pushing it to the side like some unwanted plaything!"

He could hear traces of what felt like anger in her voice.

"We've been building ourselves up so that one day we'll be able to take what the humans refuse to share; the _world_. Their days were numbered from the beginning, and that time has finally come; the time for a new race to take the world by storm! You'd be a part of all this! You'd be right up there, with the Two, watching over our kingdom! So why, _why the fuck _would you refuse to do so?!"

_Her insanity I can deal with, but this mood swing is annoying. One second she's trying to murder me and the next she's acting up because I didn't join her and her little cult._

"I don't need to explain myself to you," he replied, venom practically dripping from his words.

Clara shook her head. "I'll never understand you. But then again, perhaps that can be partially attributed to the fact that I don't truly need to understand you. I just need your DNA. So what do you say you turn yourself in, and we'll all call it a day? I'll even put in a good word for you."

_Again with the mood swing?_

"Over my dead body," he growled.

Clara frowned at him. "I'm not allowed to kill you yet," she bent her legs, "but we don't exactly need you conscious _or_ unharmed."

Clara leapt into the air, an action that Siren imitated. The two shape shifters closed in on each other; Siren moving upwards and Clara flying down at him, before something happened that drove the fight in a completely different direction.

The ground began shaking—_violently. _Siren and Clara both looked down to see cracks forming on the street as Infected were sent stumbling and falling. Siren and Clara both missed each other entirely with their initial attacks; their attention was currently directed at the ground.

Within a few seconds of landing, the ground between them began cracking all the more, before finally, it violently erupted as _something_ crawled—no, slithered—out.

Siren's eyes widened as he stared at the giant, white-grey _thing _that had made its way out into the open. He noticed that Clara was staring as well, her eyes wide in surprise.

"What," Siren began.

"The _fuck_," Clara continued for him.

_"IS THAT?!" _They both shouted in unison.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Clara's Combat Masochism/Mood Swings: Something I enjoy is having antagonists who have a little something to add to their character. Clara's weird personality is her own little "spice". Since this is my first attempt at writing stories, giving meaningful character to antagonists might be a bit of a bumpy ride (I obviously have much to learn when it comes to being an author, even if this is fanfiction and not a book that'll be published.) However, giving at least **_**some **_**level of character to antagonists is almost always a plus, so for Clara, one of her personality traits is her mental stability, or rather, the lack of it.**

**Bio-bombs: This is a pretty interesting power from Prototype 2, and seeing as this story takes plenty of inspiration from Prototype 2, I am including some of the powers from that game. **

**Interrupted Fight: I know the ending here feels a little inconclusive, but that's sort of the point; the fight was interrupted before it could reach a climax.**


	23. Chapter 23

DISCLAIMER: YOU SHOULD ALL KNOW THIS BY NOW; I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Alright, the 'posting problems' I had with last chapter threw a monkey wrench in my schedule, so chapters might be posted at different times throughout the week. **

**Chapter 23**

**Enemy of the Enemy**

Siren jumped as the massive, white-grey limb crashed into the spot he was standing in a moment ago. On the other side of the Infected, Clara was dodging a barrage of tendrils as they shot towards her.

Siren was forced to backpedal further when tendrils leapt from the limb that had nearly hit him. He quickly formed his Shield and allowed the tendrils to bounce off it, but the force itself knocked him on his back.

Rolling out of the way, he jumped back, his feet connecting with a building wall before he kicked off, sending himself skyward. He quickly spotted Mikoto and Kuroko, both of which were now staring at the Infected, their faces drained of color.

Cursing under his breath at the turn of events, Siren formed his Whipfist and shot it at the Infected, the blade-tipped end burying itself in the creature's thick hide. With his hold secured, Siren swung down, throwing all his weight forwards, hoping to throw the creature off balance.

His experience from the fight with the massive Golem from some time before told him that balance was essential for such a massive creature. His swing was successful, and he was able to pull the creature along slightly, but his movement was stopped as a tendril speared him.

He grunted as he was yanked back, his Whipfist torn from its hold. The tendril carried his struggling form towards one of the creature's limbs, which looked suspiciously like…

_It's got Hydra-hands?! How—where did this thing come from?!_

The creature's Hydra…hand opened its mandibles, and Siren saw what looked like rows of sharp teeth. Before the creature could clamp its mandibles around him, a blast of electricity connected with the tendril that held him, causing it to thrash violently as he slid off it.

He managed to gain control of himself in midair, and glided down. As he landed, Kuroko appeared next to him along with Mikoto.

He glanced over and muttered a quick thanks to the electric esper.

"So…any idea what this is?"

"No clue. Clara looked just as surprised to see it as I was," Siren responded as he watched the Infected. Clara was on its other side, glaring at it as well. The Infected stood still for the moment, seemingly observing its enemies. That is, if it could even _see_ them.

"Clara? Who's that?" asked Mikoto.

"That Evolved over there. That's her name; Clara," Siren replied, jerking his chin towards the woman. Said woman glanced between the trio and the Infected before frowning.

"Wait, the _Evolved_ was surprised to see this thing? I thought this was one of their monsters!"

"Can't say I understand what's going on," he mumbled under his breath. "What do you two think? Do we stay here or make a run for it?"

"Wait," Mikoto began. "Let's see what this thing is, and if it's with or against the Evolved."

"Pretty sure it hates all of us," the silver-haired teen replied.

"You can't be sur—" Mikoto's sentence was interrupted as the giant Infected raised its limbs and slammed them into the ground, sending cars and weaker Infected flying in every direction.

Siren was forced to duck as a flailing Infected came soaring over his head. Looking back, his eyes widened as tendrils shot from the creature's limbs, aiming for both him _and_ Clara. Oddly enough, the tendrils weren't converging on Mikoto and Kuroko as they were on him and the Evolved.

Jumping into the air, Siren watched as the tendrils shot after him, completely ignoring Mikoto and Kuroko. His hand transformed into his Blade, and with a wide swing, he cut through the tendrils as they sped towards him.

As his Blade sliced through the oddly-colored tendrils, they began to quickly retract, but more were already being shot from the thing's limbs.

Clara on the other hand, wasn't faring too well. Her lack of a cutting weapon forced her to resort to using the small, bladed fingers her Musclemass power produced. She swung her hands as though she was using a pair of Claws, cutting through several of the tendrils, but she wasn't able to cut through all of them.

Several of the tendrils wrapped around her legs and dragged her towards the mandibles as they split open, the sharp teeth making their prescense known.

Clara, using her Musclemass-empowered arms, violently ripped the tendrils apart, quickly freeing herself and falling to the ground.

Siren spread his limbs and glided down, attempting to study the creature as it fought. He didn't get much time though, as more tendrils leapt out to attack him.

He prepared to cut through them, but Mikoto's lighting appeared in front of him, tangling with the tendrils as it forced the squirming limbs back.

Siren fell to the ground and immediately sprinted forward. Jumping up, he dug his Blade into the creature's side and cut a deep gash as he slid down, prompting more tendrils to come shooting his way.

He managed to dodge them though, watching with a hint of satisfaction as the tendrils buried themselves in the creature's flesh. However, it was clear that the wounds were shallow; the creature's hide was too thick.

_It's like a giant, super-Hydra of sorts, like a—like a Leader Hydra! That's what it is, it must be!_

He flipped away from the Leader Hydra, avoiding several more tendrils as they tried to grab him. As he was dodging, a thought crossed his mind.

_Why isn't it attacking Mikoto and Kuroko? _

He understood that the Infected had a tendency to prioritize him—probably because of the Evolveds' influence—but this Leader Hydra made no attempt at the two girls, even as Mikoto blasted it repeatedly, interrupting its attacks time and time again.

Whirling around, he quickly spotted Clara dancing around the tendrils as she moved towards the Leader Hydra. Siren decided to do the opposite and move _away_ from it.

After a few seconds of sprinting, Siren flipped over a car, planting his hands on the roof, his fingers tearing into the metal as he lifted the car. When he landed on his feet, he held the car over his head, his eyes locked on the Leader Hydra as he spun around to face it.

Holding the car over his head, he waited until Mikoto's lightning and Clara's relentless attacks along with the occasional strike from Kuroko drew the Leader Hydra's attention. As he waited, he allowed his Musclemass power to activate, his grip on the car tightening.

As soon as he saw an opening, he threw the car with all his strength, his Musclemass power strengthening the throw. The car flew towards the Leader Hydra's back, and he grinned as it made contact, forcing the creature to bend forwards.

However, his eyes widened as the creature rose, straightening itself out. Slowly, it turned towards him, ignoring Mikoto's lightning for a short time.

"Well…that could have gone better," he muttered as dozens of tendrils shot from the Leader Hydra's limbs. The tendrils speared several Infected as they made their way towards him, and Siren cursed under his breath as he backpedaled, his feet little more than a blur as he shuffled backwards.

Feeling his back press against something, his eyes widened in momentary panic as he realized he had come to a building wall. The moment of panic was all the Leader Hydra needed to impale the silver-haired teen with dozens of tendrils.

Siren was pushed back through the building and out the other side as the tendrils continued to extend. Grunting, he began ripping them apart, his Musclemass power giving him just enough strength the tear through the tendrils.

He could hear what sounded like loud electrical strikes in the distance, causing him to smirk. He gritted his teeth and quickly regurgitated a Flyer, grabbing onto its foot as it flapped its wings.

He gave it no verbal command, but the Flyer began flapping with all its might pulling Siren off the tendrils that had run him through. Slowly but surely, it pulled him off the tendrils and he swung forward, letting go of the Flyer's foot and gliding towards the building that the tendrils had slammed him through.

As his feet hit the wall, he began sprinting up the side, gaining speed as he moved. When he reached the top of the wall, he planted his feet and the edge and jumped upwards, sending himself flying into the air.

As he descended, his arms changed into Hammerfists and he pointed them at the ground, dropping down towards the Leader Hydra.

He landed on the spot where its head would have been.

His Hammerfists utterly demolished whatever bones were in this area of the Leader Hydra's body—if it even had bones—and the creature buckled and collapsed under his attack.

Siren flipped off the creature's fallen form, landing several meters away from it. He stood back and observed it, waiting to see if it was still alive.

_I'm not stupid enough to think that killed it. It's—_

His train of thought was interrupted as the Leader Hydra began to stir. Its form slowly rose once more, and Siren watched as the skin seemed to ripple as though something beneath it was moving.

His eyes widened as he realized the moving shapes were the Leader Hydra's _bones_, and that they were rearranging themselves to match their original state—before Siren crushed them.

"That's disgusting," he heard Mikoto comment off to his side.

Not long after, the Leader Hydra rose to its full, intimidating height, its Hydra-arms dangling at its sides.

Siren was pondering on how to kill this creature, but before he could make a single move, he noticed Clara running up the side of a building. Narrowing his eyes, he watched as the female Evolved rushed over the side of the building, landing somewhere on the roof, well out of his sight.

_Tch, spineless coward._

In all fairness, between the two of them, Clara wasn't the one who was lacking a physical spine.

_Bones or no bones, I can't sit here and let this thing roam the city; it'll cause too many problems for—_

He shouted in surprise as tendrils leapt from the ground, nearly running through him once more. He managed to dodge by jumping high into the air, and now that he was looking back towards the Leader Hydra, he noticed dozens of tendrils had dug into the ground from its Hydra-arms.

_How did I miss—?_

"Damn it," he hissed as the Leader Hydra suddenly pulled back its left arm, retracting its tendrils, and grabbed a nearby car. Throwing it over its shoulder, the Leader Hydra sent the car flying towards Siren, who was still falling to the ground.

_Can't dodge this in time!_

He was about to form his shield, but suddenly felt a pair of hands touch his back. Without warning, he found himself standing beside Mikoto, a confused expression on his pale face.

The confusion was quickly replaced with understanding as he turned and nodded to Kuroko.

"So, Siren, you're the expert on Infected here. Wanna tell us how to kill this one?"

"Never seen something like this," he mumbled. Kuroko planted her hands on their backs and the trio teleported a safer distance away as the Leader Hydra swung an arm at them.

"Maybe we could—"

He was cut off as a loud roar sounded throughout the area. Looking up, he noticed several Hunters jumping off the building Clara had run up not too long ago.

A Leader Hunter had come as well, and behind them all, Siren was able to make out the form of Clara as she fell with her small army.

The entire group descended upon the Leader Hydra, the Hunters roaring like wild beasts and a battle cry escaping Clara's lips.

***Page Break***

Rika blinked as she heard the commotion. Looking over to her right, she couldn't _see_ anything unusual, other than the odd lack of Flyers in that direction, but she could definitely _hear_ what sounded like a battle.

Roars had reached her ears a few seconds ago, followed shortly by crashes. Frowning in the direction of the commotion, Rika began moving that way, leaping across buildings.

The white ski mask still covered her face, and though it partially obscured her view, Rika had long since grown accustomed to it. While her mother and sister may be dead—her body trembled in fury for a split second—that didn't mean that Rika was going to allow her face to be seen by the Evolved. If _they_ knew who she was, they'd target other people she cared about. Her grandparents were an example, some of her old friends from the U.S—before Blackwatch got to her—were also examples.

She growled in frustration. First, Blackwatch decided to pump her full of their liquid death, creating what they had called a "Phase Three Orion Super Soldier", then, she's forced to fight the Infected alongside that twisted group, only to realize that it was a losing battle. Finally, after several months, she and her family move out of the country. Moving to Japan was mostly an attempt to get away from Blackwatch, and what does she run into in Japan?

The Evolved—a group just as twisted, if not more so, than Blackwatch.

Now? Now she was sprinting towards an unknown battle, hoping to find some answers or clues as to how to beat the Evolved.

As she neared the battle area, the sounds of roaring and crashing continued to grow. Her pace increased, as did her heart rate. Experienced or not, rushing into a large scale battle—at least, that's what it sounded like—was enough to get most people's hearts pumping.

A rooftop cracked beneath her foot as she jumped off, soaring through the air for several seconds before falling onto another rooftop. For a second, her eyes widened as she saw what looked to be a massive, _moving_ shape.

_That can't be good._

As she jumped into the air again, she caught a glimpse of the same moving shape from a few seconds ago. Her eyes narrowed as she closed in; this had the potential to get _really_ ugly.

The area of battle wasn't that far ahead now—just a couple hundred feet and she could swing around the corner to the area she assumed was the locations of the battle.

As she got closer, she could make out the corpses of Infected lining the street. She didn't know if these Infected were killed in the battle that was just around the corner, or if they died because of other reasons.

What she _did_ know was that, if the roars were anything to go by, the battle just around the corner would contain some of the more powerful Infected.

She let out a breath she didn't know she had held in as soon as she got close to the corner. Quickly composing herself, Rika turned the corner, and her eyes widened considerably as she saw what was going on around said corner.

Several Hunters, along with a Leader Hunter were taking down the Leader Hydra creature she had run into not too long ago. Sparks of lightning danced throughout the area, though Rika had no idea where they were coming from, and to top it all off, two humanoid figures dashed around the Leader Hydra in various directions. The odd thing was that they would occasionally clash, attempting to knock each other out of the sky as they jumped around.

She looked closely at the two figures. The taller of the two, who she made out to be a male, had a red symbol on his back and—

Oh. _He _was here.

_Siren Mercer…_

This time, she _wouldn't_ make the mistake of assuming he was Alex Mercer. No, this time, she'd make sure she hit the _right_ person.

It was just a matter of observing, and finding an opening.

***Page Break***

Siren grunted as he slammed into Clara. The two were jumping in every direction around the Leader Hydra, but neither could find a legit weakness. On top of that, just because he and Clara had a common enemy, that didn't mean the two were friends now. In fact, Siren was just as dead sent on killing Clara as she was him. The only difference was that he didn't act like some delusional combat-masochist.

He shouted in confusion when Clara's Musclemass-reinforced hands dug into his back, shredding his jacket with her bladed fingertips. Turning to look at her as the two descended, he could do little more than growl at her as she smirked back at him. His body worked quickly, repairing the damage to his body and clothing—which was technically still a part of his natural body.

Within a few seconds, he was completely healed, and gliding towards the Evolved.

She had made the stupid mistake of looking down at several of the tendrils that were coming to spear her, and that was all the time Siren needed.

As soon as she looked away, he allowed his Whipfist to form and launched it at the woman. The tip dug into her back, causing her to yelp in confusion and surprise.

Yanking his arm, he ended up pulling _himself_ towards Clara, rather than pulling her towards him.

As soon as he was close enough, he drove his fist into Clara's head, sending her crashing towards the ground. All the while, the Leader Hydra attempted to kill them again and again. It shot tendrils at them, it tried to crush them beneath its massive limbs, and it once tried to completely squash them by trying to crush them under its own weight.

The two shape shifters jumped and weaved between the tendrils the Leader Hydra shot at them, all the while attacking the Leader Hydra and each other when they saw openings. Had it not been for Clara's Hunters distracting the Leader Hydra, he and Clara wouldn't be able to take five steps without a barrage of tendrils coming in to kill them.

Siren grunted as Clara drove her fist into his gut as he slapped aside several tendrils. Clara had little time to celebrate her successful hit, due to the fact that the Leader Hydra had knocked her to the street with a swing of its enormous arm.

Clara landed on all fours in front of Siren, and as she tried to get up, he tackled her, sending them both rolling to the ground. He drew back his fist as they rolled to a stop, but his eyes widened as ne noticed tendrils rapidly approaching his head.

However, the tendrils shrank back as Mikoto's lightning struck the Leader Hydra, causing said tendrils to thrash about violently as the girl continued launching blasts of electricity at the massive Infected.

Siren's was snapped back into his own battle when he felt Clara's head connect with his face, causing him to reel back as the woman jumped up, throwing him off.

Siren backpedaled, giving the Evolved the room she needed to go on the offensive. Siren was forced to dodge several fast punches before Clara spun around and landed a solid kick on the side of his head.

The kick sent Siren to the ground, but he planted his hand on the street to steady himself. Clara grabbed him by the head and her knee was about to connect with his face, but both he and the Evolved were speared by the Leader Hydra's tendrils.

The two were lifted into the air, tendrils wrapping around Siren, crushing him. He grunted, trying to break free while the tendrils constricted.

Several meters from him, Clara thrashed violently as she fought to remove the tendril that had coiled around her neck.

Siren blinked as the tendrils crushing him suddenly gave way, but grinned when he realized that Mikoto's lightning had caused the Infected to drop him.

He fell to the ground, landing on his feet and kicking up pieces of the street with his landing. Kuroko teleported next to him, a frown on her face.

"My darts aren't hurting it. Any bright ideas?"

"Act as support for Mikoto; the Hunters seem to be focused on the Leader Hydra, but there's nothing guaranteeing they won't attack her. Same goes for the Leader Hydra."

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "Is that what this thing is called?"

He shrugged in response. "Best name I've got for it."

His gaze snapped abruptly to Clara as he noticed a Hunter grab on to the tendrils that held her and began chewing through them. Siren frowned as Clara fell out of the Leader Hydra's grasp, tearing what was left of the tendrils off of her.

Narrowing his eyes, he took off after the Evolved, his hands transforming into Claws as he ran. As he neared her, she looked up, her eyes quickly focusing on him.

The two clashed as the Hunters continued pouncing on the Leader Hydra, attempting to bring the creature down. The light from Mikoto's lightning would occasionally flash by the two as they fought, and they could hear the roars of the Hunters as the electric esper rained electric strike after electric strike upon them.

Siren dropped to the ground, kicking out with his legs. Clara jumped over him, bringing her left fist across his face while vaulting over him. Siren grunted as he was pushed to the side by Clara's attack, but kept attacking.

His right Claw drew a long gash across her left side, causing the Evolved to glare at him as her body repaired itself.

Siren's eyes widened as he narrowly dodged a powerful punch from the Evolved, his back bending at an odd angle as he moved. It was times like these that his body's lack of bones can in very handy.

He planted his Claws in the ground and flipped away from Clara as her fist met the spot where he was a second ago. The ground shattered under her punch, but her fist seemed stuck for a split second.

Siren smirked as Clara's eyes widened. She attempted to dislodge her fist, but was unable to do so before Siren's fist neared her head, his Claws quickly changing into Hammerfists.

When his Hammerfist connected, it sent Clara flying, her body bouncing across the street before she dug her hands into the ground, forcing herself to stop.

Siren sprinted after her, his blue eyes glowing slightly as he swung at her again. Clara bent backwards, avoiding his Hammerfist and drove her foot into his gut, forcing him into the air.

Siren formed his Shield and blocked Clara's midair punch just before it could connect, though the force of the punch knocked him higher into the sky.

Spreading his limbs, he glided away from Clara, landing on top of a car, his expression calm, though slightly annoyed.

His calm expression fell, replaced by a wide-eyed stare as a Hunter was flung over his head by the Leader Hydra.

_Clara doesn't seem to know this thing's origins; she was just as surprised to see it as I was. On top of that, it's attacking her too, so where did it come from?_

He was forced from his thoughts as an Infected came crashing into the car he was standing on. Jumping out of the way, Siren narrowly avoided the tendrils that shot from the Infected, grabbing nearby objects and pulling them all together.

_Really hate her bio-bomb ability…_

Once his feet were on the ground again, Siren sprinted towards Clara once more, his Blade forming on his right arm.

Jumping slightly and swinging his Blade in a horizontal motion, Siren barely managed to cut Clara's stomach. He rolled to the side as Clara's fist passed mere inches from his head.

Spinning around for momentum, Siren slammed his foot into Clara's stomach, but the Evolved grabbed his foot. Grinning, she planted her own feet into the ground and began swinging him in wide circle.

As she spun, she gathered more momentum, the speed of her movements increasing. Finally, she released Siren, sending the silver-haired Prototype straight into the Leader Hydra.

A cross between a cough and a grunt escaped Siren as he crashed into the Leader Hydra's side. Falling to the ground, his vision blurred, he reached out with his hands, steadying himself.

The fact that Clara's Musclemass-empowered arms had thrown him with enough force to disorient him was a clear indication that this Evolved was _miles_ ahead of Craig in terms of strength.

The Leader Hydra seemed too busy with the Hunters to attack him at the moment, but he could vaguely make out Clara's form as she sprinted towards him.

He attempted to pull himself to his feet, but found that he was unable to balance himself.

His eyes widened as Clara came closer.

30 feet.

20 feet—this woman was _fast_.

10 feet.

Something slammed into Clara.

***Page Break***

Rika found it difficult to keep the smirk off her face as her foot connected with the female Evolved's face. She had attacked from a high angle, staying out of the Evolved's field of view until the last second, allowing her to attack the woman head on.

The Evolved grunted as she was driven back, but her forward momentum pushed her body forward, resulting in her upper body snapping backwards from Rika's kick.

But that wasn't all.

The force from the girl's kick sent the Evolved flying backwards, giving Rika enough time to turn to Siren.

His eyes were slightly unfocused and he was squinting at her.

_He must be dizzy from the woman's last attack._

Turning back to the woman, who was hauling herself to her feet, Rika narrowed her eyes and sprinted forwards, attempting to catch the woman before she could recover.

Rika reached the woman just before she could stand up, driving her fist into the Evolved's gut, causing her to cough loudly, spit flying from her mouth. Rika spun around, backhanding the Evolved, sending her rolling to the side.

Rika moved to finish her off, but the Evolved managed to dive out of the way, narrowly avoiding Rika's kick.

The woman scrambled to her feet, glaring at Rika.

"Who the fu—oh. Oh it's _you_. Heh, looks like Blackwatch's little fuck-up decided to make an appearance," the woman said with a chuckle.

Rika froze as she heard those words. They were the same words painted on her wall back at her house when her family was…

"How do you—"

"Know about that? Take a guess genius."

Rika's eyes widened.

"_You_," she hissed, her voice low and her eyes narrowing. "_You were there_."

The woman smirked. "Yup. Paying a visit to the mysterious little Blackwatch chick. Found your family; quite the inhospitable bunch. Decided to teach them to respect how to respect their superior—gah!"

The woman was cut off as Rika threw herself at her, shrieking in fury. The two fell to the ground, Rika throwing vicious punches at the woman.

The woman managed to kick Rika off herself, sending the girl stumbling backwards. Before she even steadied herself, Rika was already throwing herself at the woman once more, her actions driven entirely by her fury.

The Evolved was forced to duck and dodge, her calm composure slipping away, giving way to a surprised look on her face as Rika mercilessly assaulted her.

Rika's punches grew more and more accurate as the woman struggled to keep up with the girl's attacks. Eventually, she was forced to retreat from the girl, her eyes widening at the display—

"GET BACK HERE!"

Rika had pounced on the woman, drawing her fist back as she prepared to deliver a punch that would cave the woman's skull in.

However, before she could get to her, a dark blur slammed into the woman from behind, causing her to open her mouth in a silent scream.

The Evolved was flung towards Rika, flipping forwards. Rika slammed her shoulder into the woman's back and sent her flying into the ground.

Looking back, Rika's eyes widened as she saw Siren standing a few feet away. The two locked eyes and Siren's expression morphed into one of anger.

"_You_," he spat. "I was wondering when—"

"Shut up."

Siren blinked at Rika's words before narrowing his eyes. However, before he could speak, Rika held up her hand.

"I don't give a damn as to what you're about to say. Stay out of this fight; she's _mine_. I'll tell you who I am later, but for now, I've got a bitch to murder," Rika said in a firm voice.

Siren's eyes widened in surprise; he must have been unaccustomed to having people speak to him like that. If Rika were to guess, she'd say that Siren was feared by most and few had the spine to speak to him in such a manner.

"Fuck off," he growled. "If anybody's going to kill Clara, it's going to be me. You can wait until the next Evolved comes knocking on your door."

"She _did_ come knocking on my door—probably before you even _met _her! So turn around, go kill that Leader Hydra, and try to make yourself useful, rather than distracting me from my fight!"

Whatever Siren was about to say was cut off as Clara—as Siren called her—jumped up, her eyes wide in…was that _pleasure_?

Rika gave neither Siren nor Clara the chance to react as she sprinted forwards, grabbing the Evolved by the throat and jumping into the air with her in tow. The two rose into the air, leaving an annoyed Siren behind.

Rika lifted Clara over her head before slamming the woman down on her knee. Rika let go of Clara, following up with a brutal kick to the woman's head. Before Clara could recover, Rika grabbed her by the sides and dived towards the ground, the woman raised over her head.

As soon as Rika got close to the ground, she flung Clara forward, but didn't let go. The woman slammed into the street, practically _sinking_ into it with Rika landing on her knees mere inches away, her hands still gripping Clara's sides.

Quickly jumping to her feet, Rika delivered a crushing kick to the woman's side, sending her tumbling across the street before skidding to a halt.

Slowly, Clara looked up, locking eyes with Rika.

"One hell of a kick you've got there," Clara grunted rising to her full height. "Looks like Blackwatch has stepped up their game when it comes to creating more walking weapons. So what are you supposed to be? A super soldier? Some sort of Anti-Prototype?"

Rika blinked.

_Wait; that other Evolved seemed to know where I came from. He knew about Project Orion, so why doesn't this Evolved know?_

"You…you don't know?"

Clara raised an eyebrow. "Why would I?"

Rika frowned. Either the Evolved she fought before was keeping secrets, or they had a system of organizing information that gave certain Evolved certain information. If that was the case, telling this Evolved the truth would be a poor choice.

"No reason," Rika replied, bending her knees.

"Oh come on, don't be like that," Clara complained, crossing her arms. "Go ahead; tell me. What do I not know?"

Rika smirked under her ski mask. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Clara sighed. "Screw it. I'll take your memories, and _then_ I'll drag Mercer to the others."

"What's with you freaks and capturing Mercer?"

This time, it was Clara who smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Narrowing her eyes, Rika slowly began edging forward, Clara doing the same. The two slowly slid closer to each other before Clara made her move.

Leaping forwards, the woman threw a wild punch at Rika's head, which she managed to avoid. Rika moved to counterattack, but was stopped as the Evolved's knee slammed into her stomach, sending her rocketing upwards.

Rika grunted, grabbing her stomach for a second before the Evolved jumped up to her, her fist cocked back. Rika's eyes widened and she spun out of the way just as the Evolved threw her fist forwards, narrowly missing Rika's head.

Spinning around, Rika brought her foot around, which Clara blocked with her forearm. At the same time, Rika planted her other foot on Clara's stomach and kick off, separating the two fighters.

Rika landed on her feet, her eyes still locked onto the Evolved who glided to the ground with a smirk. Rika charged forwards, the memory of her dead loved ones still fresh in her mind.

_This…this __**animal**__took them from me…_

She landed a punch on Clara's shoulder.

_And now…now I'm going to put her down like the dog she is!_

Another one of Rika's kicks connected, causing Clara to grunt before she lashed out with a kick of her own. Rika caught the Evolved's foot with her right hand and proceeded to slam her left fist into the woman's jaw, sending her stumbling backwards.

As Rika moved forward, Clara's hand shot out, grabbing Rika by the throat and slamming her into the ground. Rika coughed as she felt the impact, giving Clara the window of opportunity she needed to slam her foot down on Rika's chest.

Rika gasped as the air was forced from her lungs. She had little time to react as Clara drew back her fist and slammed it into Rika's head. She repeated this once more, all while Rika struggled to break free.

Suddenly, Rika felt the weight of the Evolved disappear off her chest. Opening her eyes in confusion, Rika blinked as she saw Clara stumbling backwards, a Whipfist lodged in her shoulder.

She looked behind her, searching for the source of the attack. She frowned as she noticed Siren Mercer, his Whipfist stretching across the distance, while the other hand shoved a Hunter away from him.

Jumping up to her feet, Rika moved forward, her hand kept low to the ground. As she neared the Evolved, she jerked her hand up, making a fist, and delivered a brutal uppercut, sending the woman high into the air.

Siren's Whipfist quickly retracted, and Rika turned to glare at him.

"Stay out of this! This is my fight!" she yelled to him.

"Then prove to me you can handle it on your own!" he shouted back, an expression of obvious annoyance on his face.

Rika narrowed her eyes. "Why that little—"

Her insult was interrupted as Clara came crashing down to Earth, landing on all fours. Rika spun around, turning to face the Evolved with a determined expression.

The Evolved stood to her full height—a few inches taller than Rika—and wiped the blood from her lips.

"Low blow!" she called to Siren. "I thought you were better than thi—"

She was interrupted as Rika slammed her shoulder into the Evolved. Rika didn't stop there though; she continued moving, carrying both herself and the Evolved towards a building. The two crashed through the wall, Rika stopping and allowing momentum to carry Clara onwards.

Clara crashed into a counter of sorts, rolling over it and landing on her feet, using the counter to steady herself.

"Again, _low blow_," she muttered. "You people need to learn to _not_ attack when someone's talking; it can get _annoying_."

"Aww, what's wrong? Is widdle Clawa upset?" Rika asked, sounding like she was talking to a child.

For the first time since seeing her, Rika saw anger in Clara's eyes. "You're _really_ starting to get annoying, girl."

Rika grinned. "Good. I want this to be as painful as possible for you."

Clara raised an eyebrow. "Painful?" she let out a low chuckle. "Sounds good."

Clara jumped forward, prompting Rika to do the same. The two met midair, their bodies mere blurs as they threw rapid punches at each other. Clara managed to score a hit, sending Rika flying out of the building.

Jumping out after her, Clara grabbed a part of the wall—a part that hadn't been destroyed by their entrance—and swung herself upwards and onto the wall. Rika saw this, and followed, sprinting after the Evolved as the two ran up the side of the building.

After a few seconds, the two reached the top the wall, both flipping over the edge of the rooftop. Before the two could speak however, they heard a loud shriek behind them. They both turned to the noise, their eyes widening as the Leader Hydra slithered into the ground, its body covered in wounds of all sorts. The Hunters went right after the Leader Hydra, jumping down the hole and disappearing into the darkness.

"Huh, that thing's finally dead," Clara commented before turning to Rika, her hair flapping slightly in the weak wind. "Guess you those espers _were_ pretty useful. That electric chick's lightning seemed to have been pretty effective against the Leader Hydra."

Rika paid little attention to Clara's muttering; she was more focused on killing the Evolved and—

Siren and the two espers just _appeared_ next to her out of nowhere. Rika jumped as the trio appeared a few short feet away from her.

"What the heck? What was tha—oh. Oh, I see. You're that teleporting girl that helped save this weakling back when we injected him with the acid," Clara commented.

Siren narrowed his eyes at the woman. "You and I have unfinished business."

"Yeah, we'd like a _word_ with you too," Mikoto spat as she stepped forward, lighting crackling around her as she cracked her knuckles. "_Nobody_ does this to Academy City and gets away with it," she growled.

Rika frowned. "You three will have to wait for the next Evolved; _I'm _killing this freak. She took my mom and sister from me, and now… now she's gonna _pay_."

Clara grinned and brought her hands to her cheeks. "Oh stop it you guys; you're making me blush," she giggled.

Rika shuddered at the woman's attitude. "Put a sock in it, creep. This ends here, and _I'm _the one who's gonna end it!"

"I disagree," said a cold voice to their left.

Everyone—even Clara—whirled to the source of the voice. Rika took note of the fact that Clara looked…scared.

On their left, where the voice came from, stood a man in black pants and a dark red jacket. Rika could make out a white shirt beneath the jacket, but she paid that little mind. What caught her eye wasn't his clothing, or the fact that he was bald. No, what caught her eye was his skin. It was…colorless; a light shade of grey, but devoid of warmth or anything that would imply that the man was _alive_.

It took her a second to realize that the man's eyes were entirely black, and when he spoke once more, she noticed that his teeth were as black as his eyes.

"It would seem that _someone_ finally located Mercer." He turned to Clara. "We'll discuss your choice not to radio in at some other point in time, but for now, the issue at hand; _you_," he looked at Siren as the last word left his mouth.

Siren narrowed his eyes at the black-eyed man. "Who are you?"

The man stepped forward onto the rooftop. His footsteps were heavy, and Rika guessed this guy must have had a lot of physical strength.

"What's more important is what I want, and that is to complete my mission. I've been ordered to bring you back with us, so that's what I'm going to do. Whether you comply or not, you _will_ be coming with us."

Rika found herself edging closer to Siren and the two espers. It was clear that this guy was working with Clara, so if anything, Rika wanted the others present to be able to provide backup in case one of these Evolved decided to attack.

"You still didn't answer my question," Siren growled. "Who. Are. You?"

The man took another step forward. "I believe you have a good idea as to who I am, but I'll introduce myself. I am the Supreme Regurgitator. I am the o—"

Rika's eyes widened as Mikoto burst into laughter, causing the man to raise an eyebrow.

"Pfft, 'Supreme Regurgitator'? Ha! That's got to be the worst name I've ever heard," the girl choked out as she laughed. "What are you a pro wrestler?" By now, Mikoto was doubled over, her hands on her knees as she laughed.

A small smile found its way onto Rika face. It _was_ a pretty stupid name. She noticed that the other esper also had a smirk on her face.

"Oh, oh wait!" Mikoto began. "I've got a better name, 'The Supr—"

Time seemed to stop as the Supreme Regurgitator moved forward before anyone could react. Faster than Rika could follow, he swung his left hand and it crashed with the side of Mikoto's head, knocking her aside like a doll.

The girl tumbled across the rooftop, slamming against it several times before stopping in a crumpled heap next to the edge.

For several seconds, nobody moved. The Supreme Regurgitator eyed Mikoto's unmoving form for those seconds before turning back to them.

"As I was saying, I am the Supreme Regurgitator; the other Prototype."

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Supreme Regurgitator One-Shotting Mikoto: Now then, as he said, he's the other Prototype, so that automatically puts him above the Evolved in terms of power. Using this logic, and looking at the fact that Alex Mercer, James Heller, and Siren Mercer (along with all the Evolved) could hurl cars around effortlessly, it's logical to assume that he'd be able to knock most people around like dolls. The real question is how badly he damaged Mikoto, and how much he held back…**

** Siren Helping Rika: Now, I understand that some people might be confused as to why Siren bothered helping Rika during her fight with Clara when he's supposed to hate her. So, my reasoning behind this is that Siren sees that both he and Rika have a common enemy, so he'd rather keep Rika alive for the majority of her battle so that she could bring Clara down—or at least wound her to the point that Siren could finish her off without too much effort. At the moment though, there's no real friendship between Siren and Rika, so no, that's not his reason for helping her. **


	24. Chapter 24

DISCLAIMER; I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Well, not much to say this time so…enjoy [and feel free to give feedback]!**

**Chapter 24**

**Secrets and Truths **

"As I was saying, I am the Supreme Regurgitator; the other Prototype."

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Nobody spoke and nobody moved. Then, like a breaking dam, everything began happening at once.

"Onee-sama!" screamed Kuroko, instantly teleporting next to her fallen friend.

Siren's gaze snapped to Mikoto and then back to the Supreme Regurgitator. He brought his right foot forward, slamming it into the rooftop and kicking off towards the Supreme Regurgitator.

He drew his right hand back as he moved, activating his Musclemass power and swinging at the other Prototype. As he swung forward, the Supreme Regurgitator stepped aside, avoiding Siren's attack.

Without warning, Siren felt a Claw punch through his midsection, protruding from his back. The Supreme Regurgitator spun around and threw Siren downwards, allowing the silver-haired teen to slide off his Claw.

Siren hit the rooftop with a grunt, but before he could get up, the Supreme Regurgitator stepped towards him, Hammerfists forming on his arms. Swinging his arm back for momentum, the Supreme Regurgitator threw all his weight behind his punch, which connected with Siren's head, and sent him flying off the building.

Siren spread his limbs and attempted to glide, but before he could, a Whipfist slammed into his chest. His eyes widened as the Supreme Regurgitator yanked him back to the building, his free hand still a Hammerfist while he yanked Siren towards him.

Siren noticed that the white ski mask girl was no longer on the rooftop. Rather, she was down on the street, pulling herself off the ground, recovering from some kind of attack as Clara jumped off the rooftop after her.

Siren quickly formed his Shield and tried to backhand the Supreme Regurgitator as he closed in. The bald Prototype sidestepped the attack and swung his Hammerfist forward. Siren managed to dodge it, and responded by kicking out with his feet, trying to catch the Supreme Regurgitator's legs.

The grey-skinned man jumped over Siren's kick, planting his hand on Siren's shoulder and vaulting over him. Siren whirled around and aimed a kick that should have connected with the Supreme Regurgitator's head.

However, the other fighter lifted his forearm and caught Siren's kick, smirking at the silver-haired teen. Siren growled and jumped back, his arms slowly changing back to normal.

"If Mikoto's dead, _so help me_," Siren growled. He wasn't as fond of Mikoto as he was of Dana or Mikoro, but over time, he had found something akin to a friend in her, and if she was dead, he'd avenge her. Even if she wasn't dead, he'd still be killing this man sooner or later.

"I doubt she's dead. I wouldn't waste energy on a specimen of a worthless species; I held back. I was saving my energy for my initial battle with you, but if what you've shown so far is your best, it won't be much of a battle."

Siren narrowed his eyes. "Pretty confident aren't you?"

"There are a multitude of reasons for my confidence. I didn't receive my title for just being alive, you know."

Siren smirked. "Oh yeah, that's a _great_ title. I'm sure it strikes fear into the hearts of men; they must die before you even touch them—of laughter, that is."

If the man's black eyes were a little less…empty, Siren would have noticed the flash of anger in them.

"The title was given to me by one far superior to both you and me. It may not be my real name, but I hold it with honor."

Siren raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then what is your real name?"

His question was met with another smirk. "Only my equals are permitted to call me by my name, _however_, you are, besides my superior, the only other living Prototype. For that reason, I respect you to an extent; you've made my existence possible."

Siren blinked. "Wait wha—"

"So, as a reward," the Supreme Regurgitator continued. "You may call me by my real name; Ares."

Siren didn't have time to react before he felt Ares' foot slam into his chest. Stumbling back, he tried to recover, but Ares landed a powerful punch on Siren's head. The teen backpedaled as Ares advanced, landing blow after blow upon Siren while the teen did everything he could to—

Siren's eyes widened as two needles suddenly protruded from Ares' eyes. Ares of course, shut his eyes he felt the needles, his hands shooting up to his face.

"_You hurt Onee-sama,_" a cold voice whispered behind him. He turned around, eyes widening as he saw Kuroko, traces of tears in her furious eyes.

"YOU HURT ONEE-SAMA!"

Faster than he could follow, Kuroko began teleporting around Ares, throwing needles at him from seemingly every direction. Ares made an attempt to keep up, but failed miserably in keeping up with the girl.

Suddenly, red and black tentacles surrounded his body and he formed two Shields—one on each arm. He brought them close to himself, the spikes on the Shields extending and jutting out in every direction.

Kuroko didn't stop though, and continued throwing her needles at him. Slowly, Ares began to stand, more tentacles writhing around his body as he moved. Siren's eyes widened and he sprinted towards Mikoto's unmoving body.

"Kuroko, RUN!"

Scooping up Mikoto, he jumped over the side of the building, just as hundreds of tentacles shot from Ares' body, covering a vast distance that Siren only just barely managed to escape. Kuroko had teleported to a nearby rooftop, panting from her fury.

_Alright, he's got his own Devastator._

Siren frowned. The reality of the situation was beginning to settle in as he realized that this opponent possessed almost the exact same powers as he did. Several battles with the Evolved had caused him to grow accustomed to being the one with the larger number of abilities at his disposal. But now…

Kuroko appeared next to him. He handed her Mikoto's limp body. "Get her back to the hospital and then get back here. I want to test this guy's abilities, but if I can't beat him, I'll need you to get the rest of us out of here."

Kuroko blinked. "Rest of us?"

Siren nodded. "That other girl—the one in the ski mask—she's coming with us; she owes me some answers."

The esper narrowed her eyes. Siren, in response, groaned. "We don't have time to argue about who gets to beat up this guy! Get Mikoto out of here or else that lunatic might kill her before she can wake up!"

Hesitantly, Kuroko stepped towards Mikoto's body, gently placing her hand on the girl's shoulder. The next second, the two disappeared, and Siren turned to face Ares. The man was currently approaching the silver-haired Prototype, a smirk on his pale-grey face.

Siren narrowed his eyes at the man. "You said that I made your existence possible. Care to explain?"

"Not at the moment, no."

Siren's eyes widened as Ares rushed towards him, closing the distance almost instantly.

_Damn, he's fast!_

Siren dashed forward, his Blade forming on his arm. He swung his Blade in a wide arc, but Ares sidestepped and responded by bringing his foot up faster than Siren could follow.

Ares' kick connected with Siren's chin, sending him into the air. As Siren tried to straighten out, he felt something slam into his back from beneath him. He grunted and tried to move, but before he could, Ares' form rose over him, his arms raised over his head.

Swinging both arms downward, Ares slammed Siren downward with enough force to cause Siren's vision to darken for a second.

Siren landed on all fours and jumped forward, just as Ares slammed into the ground behind him. Siren flipped forward, landing on his feet and whirling to face Ares.

As soon as he saw Ares, he was treated to the sight of Ares hands transforming into what looked like his own version of Musclemass. At least, that's the only thing Siren thought it could be. From the shoulders down, Ares' arms were masses of red and black tentacles. The man now had three fingers on each hand, each finger ending in a white, sharp claw.

Siren moved forward, his own Musclemass power activating. However, before he could get close, Ares brought his hand forward and a large tendril shot out, slamming into Siren's and wrapped around him. The tendril snapped upwards before slamming Siren down into the ground.

Siren coughed as the force of the attack pushed him into the street. Before he could recover, he found himself being swung around and thrown into a nearby building.

He managed to straighten himself before he could slam into the building. As he neared said building, he planted his feet on it and kicked off, sending himself flying back towards Ares.

As he neared him, Siren's arms changed into Hammerfists and he slammed one Hammerfist into the ground. Using it as an anchor, he flipped upwards before slamming back into the ground, sending tendrils through the ground from both his Hammerfists.

Red and black spikes erupted from the ground, moving towards Ares—who was smirking. Ares leapt into the air, spinning around and shooting tendrils from his arms towards Siren.

Siren dove out of the way, glaring at Ares.

_Alright, the tendrils that he keeps shooting at me are like a miniature version of one of my Devastators. Not only that, but they closely resemble that Leader Hydra's tendril attack._

He frowned as Ares sent more tendrils rocketing towards Siren. Siren formed his Shield and deflected the tendrils, but as he lowered his Shield, he noticed Ares had already moved and was currently inches in front of Siren.

_Shit!_

Ares brought his fist forward and slammed it into Siren's head, sending him flying. Siren managed to land on his feet, much to Ares' annoyance.

Before Siren could attack, Kuroko appeared to his right, her darts already in her hands. "Sorry that took so long," she began. "Had to make sure Onee-sama was taken to a comfortable place where she'd be cared for."

Siren nodded. "Careful around this guy; he's not like the Evolved."

Kuroko nodded. "I figured. So…he's like you? A sapient virus, I mean."

Siren nodded. "He's a Prototype. He may not be the BLACKLIGHT virus, but he's still a sapient virus."

Ares was walking towards them, a calm expression on his face.

"How do we know for sure he's the other Prototype?" Kuroko asked him.

"He's got a variety of powers, rather than just one like the Evolved did. Besides, he's got a Devastator; that's something I have yet to see an Evolved do. Not to mention he even said he was the other Prototype."

Ares lifted both arms over his head once more, the calm expression never leaving his face.

"Do you know how to beat him?"

"Not a clu—WHAT THE?!"

Siren was cut off as Ares slammed his hands into the ground and massive tendrils—each a little smaller than a Hydra—began moving through the street towards them. The tendrils utterly _obliterated _the street, ripping through it and anything in on it as they moved towards Siren and Kuroko.

Siren leapt away and Kuroko teleported to a safe distance as the tendrils shot by, ripping apart the ground as they moved.

But they didn't stop there. They continued to extend and tear through the street, continuing on for hundreds of feet like a tsunami washing over a city.

Finally, the tendrils stopped and retracted at impossible speeds into Ares' body. Siren stared, wide-eyed, at what was left of the street. For hundreds of feet, the street was just _gone_; the tendrils had ripped apart everything that had covered it.

He slowly turned to Ares, a shocked expression on his face.

_Was that a Devastator?_

Once more, Ares lifted his hand over his head. Siren's eyes widened as he realized Ares was about to try again.

_He can do that multiple times in a row?! A Devastator like that must burn a _**massive**___amount of biomass! _

Ares slammed his hand into the ground, but this time, the tendrils didn't shoot through the street towards either Siren or Kuroko.

Siren's eyes widened as tendrils that were comparable in size to Hydras shot up around a massive apartment building. The tendrils ran up along the sides of the building, wrapping around it and demolishing it.

_What's he doin—oh no._

The tendrils began shoving against the building, causing the entire structure to start leaning towards Siren. He took a step back as the structure began leaning further and further.

"Crap," he spat out as he turned and ran. "He's going to bring that thing down on all of us!"

The building was no longer leaning, but _falling_ towards the ground as the tendrils continued shoving it.

_I'm not going to make it!_

"Kuroko! I need your assistance!"

Kuroko heard his shouting and teleported in front of him. Before she could say anything, Siren grabbed her shoulder.

"Teleport us a safe distance away from that falling building! Grab the ski mask girl too."

The second he finished speaking, Kuroko had teleported the two of them to a distant rooftop from which Siren could see the building falling.

Kuroko vanished, only to reappear a few seconds later with the ski mask girl next to her.

"Wha—? What just happened? Where's Clara? She was right in front of—"

Her complaining was cut off as the building hit the ground with a deafening crash. The three whirled to the source of the noise, their eyes wide.

"Damn," Siren muttered. "He's…he's going to be a pain to kill."

The ski mask girl was glancing around before she gasped. "You forgot Mikoto back there!"

Kuroko was already shaking her head at the other girl's outburst. "I had already teleported Onee-sama to a safe place. The only ones left were Siren, you, and I."

The ski mask girl blinked. "Onee-sama?"

"Don't ask," Siren muttered. He looked up as he heard roars coming from the area where the building had just fallen. He recognized the roars as those of the Hunters, but last he had checked, there weren't any Hunters in that area when they were fighting; the last of them had chased after the Leader Hydra.

Unless…

"Oh great," he growled. "This won't be too fun."

Kuroko and the other girl both looked to him in confusion. "He's called the Supreme Regurgitator; it only makes sense that he'd be exceptional at regurgitating mass armies of Infected."

Both girls blinked, clearly unfamiliar with the concept of 'regurgitation'. "He's able to spit out Infected like it's nobody's business," he clarified with a roll of his eyes.

Kuroko stepped back in disgust. "That's _gross_! What kind of sick freak is this guy?!"

"A powerful one," the ski mask girl threw in. "I'm assuming all these roars we're hearing belong to the Infected that this guy just spit out?"

Siren nodded. "Probably."

"And he's probably sent those things after us, hasn't he?"

"Most likely, yes," Siren replied.

The ski mask girl sighed. "Perfect," she muttered sarcastically.

It was then that the first Hunter jumped over a distant rooftop, landing on a building not too far from the one the trio currently stood on. The Hunter jerked its head around, looking around for any signs of its targets.

It didn't take long for the Hunter to spot them, and as soon as it did, it roared at the sky, calling to its brethren.

Within a few seconds, seven Hunters were leaping across the rooftops, moving towards the three fighters.

Siren narrowed his eyes. "We're going to have to retreat soon."

Kuroko nodded. "Hang on, I'll teleport you two to—"

Siren held up a hand to silence her. "I want to check some things with that other Prototype before we go. Get her," he gestured to the ski mask girl, "back to the hospital. Give me five minutes, then get back here and get the two of us out of here."

"Wait, the hospital? I don't think that's a good idea; last time I got close, I started—"

The girl didn't have time to finish as Kuroko placed a hand on her shoulder and the two disappeared.

Siren turned his attention back the approaching Hunters. He ran towards the edge of the rooftop, jumping as high as he could. As he soared through the air, several Hunters tried to grab at him, some even jumping up to try and tackle him. He managed to avoid their attempts at grabbing him before landing on another rooftop.

He could already see Ares jumping across rooftops to get to him. Siren narrowed his eyes. This was a risky thing to try, but…

He jumped forwards, aiming at a rooftop Ares was quickly approaching. The two Prototypes landed on said rooftop, Siren landing a second before Ares.

The moment Ares landed, he sprinted forward, his arms transforming into Claws. But before he could get close…

"I want to talk!"

Ares skidded to a stop, his face showing signs of confusion.

"I want to talk," Siren repeated, raising his hands. "Call off your Hunters for now; I want to ask you a few things."

Ares raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me if I don't believe you, but I'm not—"

"A few minutes; that's all I ask. Have your Hunters surround me if you want, but I _just want to talk_," he said for the third time.

Ares stood there, frowning for a few seconds before raising his hand. All seven Hunters came crashing onto the rooftop, surrounding the two Prototypes.

"Alright, you've got my attention. Talk."

Siren wasted no time in asking. "What's my connection to Alex Mercer?"

Ares smiled at this."Good to see you've realized that there _is_ a connection. I was beginning to worry there."

"Am I a reincarnation?"

Ares blinked. "Pardon?"

"Am I the reincarnation of Alex Mercer?" Siren asked more firmly, his eyes narrowed.

Ares stood there for a second, a confused expression on his face. Finally, he smirked and shook his head. "No, not necessarily."

Siren's eyes widened.

_If…If I'm not his reincarnation, then what am I?_

"Being a reincarnation implies that Alex died and was reborn as you. That's where the problem with your little theory is."

The smirk turned into a grin. "Alex Mercer never truly died."

Timed seemed to slow as Siren mentally repeated the words.

_Alex Mercer never truly died._

"Then—then what am I?! Where did I come from, who created me?!"

He was tired. Tired of not knowing, of not _understanding_. When he came up with the theory of being a reincarnation of Alex Mercer, he thought he had solved the mystery, but now…

"That's the issue here; you have no real purpose. You're _lost_. Let us guide you, Siren. We can return to you your lost memories."

For a second, for a _split second_, he considered it; regaining his memories, taking over the world, extinguishing the human race. But as fast as the thought came to mind, he crushed it.

He had too many reasons to stop the Evolved. Dana, Mikoro, Touma, _everybody_ he cared about, no matter how much or how little, would be destroyed if he didn't stop these lunatics.

He shook his head. "I refuse to join you and your little band of deranged mutants," he spat.

Ares frowned. "It's Dana, isn't it? You're afraid of what will happen to her if you join us."

Siren blinked.

_WHAT?!_

"How do you know that name?!"

A grin appeared on Ares' face and Siren felt dread begin to build up within him. "Siren, allow me to reveal to you what drove you insane in the first place."

He stepped forward. "The crushing truth that stripped away what sanity you had left at the time."

_What's he talking about? I—_

"Dana Mercer…is dead."

Everything stopped. Everything just _stopped_. The thoughts that were running through his head simply vanished, letting his mind go blank.For several long, agonizing seconds, Siren stood there, a lost expression on his face.

Slowly, he sank to his knees.

"Your precious little sister; _gone_. There's more to this story, _so much more_, but your constant struggle against us is hiding the truth from you."

Siren didn't reply, his gaze locked on the rooftop as he stared down at it.

"You're without purpose, Siren," Ares said as he leaned down in front of Siren. "You've lost the thing you wanted to protect, and now, you have no reason left to live. _None _of us had a reason to live, until _he_ gave us one. My superior, he gave us a purpose, a meaning. He's trying to give you one as well, but you keep pushing it away."

Siren slowly looked up at him. "H—how? How do you know all this?"

Ares smirked. "You're missing memories, but not because of amnesia. They were removed; put into someone else."

He stood up to his full height. "Who do you think has the rest of your memories?"

Siren's eyes widened. "…You?" he whispered.

Ares nodded. "Almost everything you knew, everything that you had learned, was given to me. The funny thing is, it was _you_ who gave me all this. Remember what I said earlier? It was _you_ that made my existence possible."

"Was…was it you? Did you kill Dana?"

Ares shook his head. "I wouldn't do that. Her death is tragic, yes, but I've moved on." He narrowed his eyes. "And unlike you, I _knew_ she was dead. You've existed in blissful ignorance while _I_ had to make do with all your memories. You dropped _everything_ on me, left me with all _your_ problems. And yet, here I am, offering you another chance on behalf of my superior. Am I not kind?"

"What are you talking about?" Siren asked quietly, his confusion growing exponentially.

Ares sighed. "I know you better than you know yourself. I know what scares you, I know what encourages you, I know what _happened_ to you. I know all this for a very simple reason."

Tentacles began writhing around his body and before long, a very familiar man stood before Siren.

"After all, I _was_ you," he spoke.

Siren stared in complete and utter shock.

"The _fuck_?!"

The man before him grinned down at him.

"Alex Mercer," Siren breathed out in shock.

Ares—Alex—_whoever _he was, shook his head. "No, I'm not Alex Mercer. I am Ares, just as you are Siren Mercer. I may have Alex's form, but I was once a part of you. You are the original, not me."

Siren was _done_ trying to comprehend what he was being told. _None_ of it made sense.

"You're fighting a losing battle, Siren. No matter how much you struggle, no matter how much you try, you'll eventually lose. Ironically, your actions have protected the humans—a species you have no love for—and some might even call you 'noble' for you struggle against us. In your search for answers, you've taken criminals off the street, you've stopped that magician form earlier, and you've protected quite a lot of people when you didn't have to. You play a beautiful game, but sometimes, you still lose."

Ares crossed his arms. "Now is the time to accept defeat. I can beat you because I know your limits. A good fighter knows his own mental and physical limits, a great fighter knows that _and_ his enemy's limits, but the greatest fighter figures out a way to exploit others' limits while finding a way around his own. What kind of fighter do you think I am?"

Slowly, ever so slowly, Siren's shock over what Ares told him faded, giving way to fury. He gritted his teeth as he began to stand, his body trembling from anger.

"Enough with your fucking rambling," he hissed. "Stop trying to play the damn villain and just give me a straight answer; who or what am I?!"

Ares smirked. "You'll find out once you join us. Or, if you're so against that, you'll be told before we kill you."

_I need his memories. _

His fists clenched and his lips pulled back in a snarl.

_I need those fucking memories!_

It took all his self control to refrain from assaulting Ares at that very moment; this Prototype was currently stronger than him, and they both knew it.

_I can't beat him now, I need to get stronger._

Ares grinned at him before turning back to his grey-skinned form. "Are you still going to resist? Or are you finally going to come to your senses?"

"I'll _obliterate _you," Siren hissed. "I don't care who or what I have to consume; one day, I _will_ come for you, and I'm taking back what's mine!"

Ares raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'll give you the chance to evolve?"

"I don't need you to _give_ me a chance," Siren replied. Before the Hunters could react, Siren leapt backwards, sailing over their heads and landing on the rooftop. Turning, he jumped off the edge, plummeting to the ground.

"Running with your tail between your legs, are you?!" Ares shouted form somewhere above him.

Siren began sprinting the second his feet hit the ground, but it was clear that Ares was faster. The other Prototype caught up with him before the Hunters could even get close.

"Running won't save you, not from me!"

Siren narrowly dodged Ares' Whipfist as it flew past him, missing his side by inches. Siren spun around, shoving past Ares as he tried to retract his Whipfist and running in the opposite direction, straight towards the Hunters.

Siren dodged through the group of Hunters, making his way back towards the building.

_Have to stay close to this area; Kuroko should reappear any second now._

The sound of something exploding behind him caught his attention and he spared a glance over his shoulder. His eyes widened as he saw Ares sending a massive wave of tendrils through the street, ripping it apart as the tendrils closed in.

Siren jumped into the air, his feet coming into contact with the side of a building. Sprinting up as fast as he could, Siren flipped onto the rooftop within a few seconds, safely avoiding the—

He grunted as something very large slammed into him, sending the two tumbling over the other side of the building. He felt large arms wrap around him as something began crushing him.

Siren's hands shot out and he instinctively grabbed whatever was holding him. Luckily, his blind grab prevented the Hunter that tackled from chomping down on his head.

He pushed with all his might, activating his Musclemass power and breaking the Hunter's jaws as the two fell. However, despite Siren's efforts, the Hunter refused to let go of him, and the two came crashing into the ground.

The two slammed into the street, the Hunter's body breaking Siren's fall. The Hunter was forced to release Siren as its body slammed into the street, and the silver-haired fighter jumped away, making use of his opportunity.

Before he could move, he felt someone grab his hand, and as he whirled around, he found himself standing in a hospital room, staring at Kuroko—who currently held his hand.

The girl released his hand and stepped back, eyeing him with a mix of suspicion and…pity?

Looking around, he realized that Mikoro, Touma, and Index were also in the room. Mikoro currently sat behind a computer, the screen showing a destroyed portion of the city. Ares was jumping around on the screen, looking for Siren and—

_Oh shit._

They _saw_. Everybody here watchedand heard that confrontation between Ares and himself. He must have failed to notice the camera that was close by when he was talking with the other Prototype.

"I think you owe us an explanation," Kuroko said slowly. Siren's mind raced. How would they react? Would they still help him if they knew how many secrets he had kept from them? Or was this the day they turned on him?

_A team is only as strong as the bonds that hold it together, and it seems as though those bonds are being tested._

***Page Break***

Mikoto awoke with a start, jerking up and frantically glancing around, searching for any sign of the Supreme Regurgitator. What she found was not what she expected.

She was lying in a room very similar to the one Siren had been in when he was hurt—or perhaps this was the same room.

"Ah, I see you've awoken."

Mikoto jerked towards the sound of the voice.

"Easy there," said the frog-face doctor. "You're going to be a little dizzy after the hit you took to the head. I would take it slow if I were you."

Mikoto stared for a few seconds before nodding. Slowly, she slid out of the bed and stumbled towards the doctor.

"What happened?"

"You took a heavy hit to the head. Kuroko brought you here and told me to watch over you for a time. She said she had to get back to the others."

Mikoto's eyes widened. "The others?! Where are they?! Are they still out there fighting the Supreme—?"

She trailed off as she realized the doctor was shaking his head. "No, they've returned. They seemed fine the last time I saw them, though Siren seemed…off."

Mikoto sighed in relief. Her friends were okay. "How long since they've gotten back?"

"It's been a little over half an hour."

Mikoto nodded. Luckily, she hadn't been out for that long.

"Also, there's someone else here now as well. She's been waiting in the room a few doors over for the rest of you to come talk to her."

Mikoto blinked. "Really? Who?"

"The only thing I know about her so far is her name; Kazari Rika."

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** Ares: When Ares said he was once a part of Siren, some people might have started wondering, "But then why not just use Ares' DNA to create more Prototypes?" Well, the answer to that question is in the actual story (it hasn't been explained yet), and I thought I'd tell you that there will be an explanation so I could put any worries to rest.**

** Alex Mercer's Identity: Alright, by this point, I wouldn't be surprised if some people were throwing their hands up and asking "So who the heck is Alex Mercer in this story?! Why does everyone seem to have some sort of connection to him?!" I ask you all to stay with me; the truth behind Siren's connection to Alex—and Ares—will [eventually] be revealed. **

**Siren's Reaction: Writing Siren's reaction to Dana's death was a little tricky. I figured he'd feel "broken" at first, but with Ares' constant cryptic clues, I figured Siren would get angry pretty quickly. **


	25. Chapter 25

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**I apologize for taking longer with this chapter, I mistakenly wrote myself into a corner during this chapter and had to rewrite it :/ **

**Apologies if this chapter feels weird. To be honest; I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter myself, mainly because it was a pain to write due to a [big] mistake I made in it. **

**Chapter 25**

**Calm Before the Storm**

"I…I'm sorry about your—"

"Don't pity me. Please."

Mikoro looked at him for a second before nodding slowly.

Siren sighed. He had just finished explaining _almost_ everything to the others. He had told them about certain events triggering lost memories within him. He told them about his theory of being Alex Mercer's reincarnation. He even told then about his sister, Dana Mercer. He did leave out certain things, like the fact that he killed Ichijo Sakura. These people may have been his 'teammates', but he was still entitled to keep _some _things to himself. If they were allowed to keep secrets, he was allowed to as well.

At the moment, he walked alongside Mikoro with Touma and Index trailing behind them while Kuroko walked in front of the group. It had been a little over half an hour since the confrontation with Ares, and they were now dealing with a new problem.

The ski mask girl.

Siren frowned as she came to mind. She had looked so familiar, but he just couldn't figure out _where_ he had seen her. He was sure he had met the person behind the mask, but he couldn't recall.

Said girl was in the hospital that had become their headquarters. She was currently waiting for them to come and talk to her about what to do next. It wasn't an interrogation or anything, but they wanted to see who she was and what her goals were.

The doctor had told them only a few minutes ago that Mikoto had awoken, but needed to rest. Siren didn't want to wait, seeing as the ski mask girl might make a break for it while they waited. So, with some convincing, he managed to get Kuroko to confront the girl with him. Mikoro, along with Touma and Index, had decided to tag along, but Kuroko was the only one who really needed to be in the room with the other girl.

Should the girl misbehave, Kuroko could teleport them both just outside the barrier that surrounded the hospital. It was clear that the girl did _not_ want to be near the barrier, so Siren had voted to use that to their advantage.

"She should be in the room at the end of this hallway," Kuroko spoke up. Siren nodded, turning to Mikoro, Touma, and Index.

"Remember you three, stay—"

"Yes, yes, we _know_. Stay outside the room and listen to the phone. Just don't forget to turn your phone on and turn on the speaker; we want to listen to the conversation to."

Siren frowned. "Treat this with care; the girl might be an enemy."

"She fought the Evolved, didn't she?" Touma asked. "Doesn't that make her and ally? You know the old saying; 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'."

"We don't have an ally. The Evolved just have a new enemy; that's _not_ the same thing."

Touma shrugged. "I think you might be overre—"

"We're here," Kuroko interrupted. Siren turned to look at the plain brown door that currently separated them from the girl. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a phone the doctor had provided him with—his old one had been destroyed through constant fights with the Infected.

Quickly calling Mikoro, he waited for her to accept the call, and then put his phone on speaker. Replacing it in his pocket, he nodded to Kuroko and the two walked into the room, shutting the door behind them.

They were greeted with the sight of the girl sitting in a chair, one leg over the other, with a book in her hands.

She hadn't removed her ski mask yet, so they couldn't see her face, but they both noticed when her green eyes snapped to them.

"About time," she muttered. Siren frowned.

"I'm going to be blunt here; we're going to ask you a few questions, figure out whose side you're on, then figure out whether or not you're a friend or an enemy," Kuroko announced.

The girl nodded.

"First on the list; take off the mask."

She frowned at Siren as soon as the words left his mouth. "I'll take it off if we agree to work together. If it turns out we're going to stay enemies, I'd rather you didn't know my identity."

Kuroko nodded before Siren could respond. "Fair enough. Alright then, I'll assume you won't give us your name until we decide if we're allies or enemies?"

The girl nodded.

Kuroko crossed her arms. "Then let's move on. What are you?"

The girl blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Are you an esper? An Evolved? A…Prototype?" Siren asked.

The girl frowned. "I'm assuming that, since you seem to be so familiar with the viruses and have the same powers as…_him_, you know about Blackwatch, correct?"

Siren nodded.

"I'm one of their projects. I am Blackwatch's first and only Phase Three Orion Super Soldier."

Siren's eyes widened. "You _work_ for Blackwatch?!"

The girl shook her head in disgust. "I would _never_ work for those freaks! They turned me into what I am against my will! They may have been the ones who gave me my powers, but they're not my masters."

"The fact that you tried to kill me isn't helping to prove your point," Siren shot back.

The girl narrowed her eyes. "You think I attacked you on Blackwatch's orders, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"It _is_ a logical assumption," Kuroko added.

The girl sighed. "I didn't attack you on Blackwatch's orders. I did it because I thought you were Alex Mercer."

Kuroko stiffened. She knew that Siren's connection to Alex was more than it seemed, but it didn't mean that this other girl had to know.

_Just keep quite Kuroko; act like it's nothing._

Unfortunately, the other girl noticed Kuroko's reaction. "You've heard of him, haven't you? That...that _thing_ from New York. The monster that started the outbreak in the first place."

"Do you want to explain to use why you hate him so much? Details would be nice," Kuroko replied smoothly.

_This might get a little awkward._

The ski mask girl sighed. "My family wasn't exactly 'rich'. In order to provide for us, Dad had to join with a military group called Blackwatch."

_Oh yeah, this is going to get really awkward._

"My father was a good—no, a _great_—man. He only joined Blackwatch so that he could provide for us. Those lunatics belong in a mental hospital, not in the streets with guns in their hands, but Dad was different! He never supported Blackwatch's actions! He—"

"Your point?" Kuroko cut in.

The other girl stopped and took a breath. "Dad was sent out on a mission one day. He was an infantry unit; no vehicle to protect him. Day after day, he and other Blackwatch troops would patrol the streets, shooting down the Infected. Dad would try and stop the other soldiers from shooting civilians or innocents—and sometimes he succeeded, but most of the time, he failed."

The girl took a shaky breath. "Then, the worst happened. One night, Dad and the rest of his squad were clearing out a street when…_he _showed up."

Her fists clenched.

"_Alex Mercer_," she spat out. "That deranged, twisted, fucking _animal_ cut my cut my father in half without even a second of hesitation. He shredded the rest of the squad, consuming their leader and then…then he just left. Two people survived that attack. Both of them told the same story."

For a few seconds, Siren and Kuroko stood there, waiting for the girl to continue. When she didn't, Siren spoke up.

"Would I be correct in saying you oppose both Blackwatch and the Evolved?"

The girl looked up at him. "First, a question for you," she said, standing up.

Siren blinked as the girl got up, leaning uncomfortably close to him. "Why do you look so much like _him_? When I fought you, you had his clothes, you have his powers, you even _sound_ like him! What's your connection to Alex Mercer?" she demanded.

Siren frowned. "I'll keep that to myself until we know if you're with us or against us. Now then, I asked you a question. I'd like an answer."

The girl narrowed her eyes before sitting back down. "I hate Blackwatch because they're monsters. What they do—abducting people and performing tests on them, creating the viruses, burning anything or anyone who threatens to expose them—is wrong. They're fucking _evil_ and they need to be stopped. Besides, if they hadn't sent my father out when they _knew_ people rarely returned, he might still be alive. The Evolved are the same; evil, twisted creatures that need to be put down. Not only that, but that Clara bitch killed my mom and sister. So yes, I oppose both the Evolved and Blackwatch," she growled.

Siren slowly nodded. The girl did have valid reasons for fighting against the Evolved and Blackwatch, but that didn't mean she could be an ally.

At least she answered his question.

"We have common enemies," Kuroko began. "Would you be against the idea of working together to stop them?"

"Stop them? I'm going to kill them!"

"Get in line," Siren replied dryly.

"What Siren means is that he's—we're—trying to do the same. Now, would you be willing to work with us to stop the Evolved?"

"Perhaps…"

"Before decide on anything, I think we should talk with the others and come to an agreement together. Then we can ask her if she wants to join," Siren said to Kuroko.

The ski mask girl frowned at him. "Why didn't you do that earlier?"

"One of the others was down, and she only recently woke up. On top of that, I'd hate to waste time discussing whether or not we should work with you unless you're willing to cooperate. We'd just waste energy if we discussed whether or not you should join only to find out that you're unwilling" Siren explained.

"Just wait here," Kuroko added. "We'll be back soon."

With that, the two turned around and headed for the door.

***Page Break***

"I think this can work," Mikoto said from her position by the wall. She had recovered a little while ago, so Siren and Kuroko though it'd be a good idea to include her in the discussion.

They had spent a dozen minutes or so discussing the pros and cons of working with the girl, and finally, people were beginning to come to decisions.

"Personally, I think having some extra muscle would help us fight the Evolved," said Touma.

"Why do you know what her muscles look like? You'd have to have seen her without her jacket and shirt for that," Index said with a frown on her face.

"Pervert!" Mikoto yelled.

Touma's eyes widened as he looked between the two girls. "What?! No! I didn't mean it like—"

"Ugh, _boys_," Kuroko groaned. "Always thinking about stuff like that."

"I wasn't—!"

"Can we _focus_?!" Siren and Mikoro asked at once.

The others fell silent and Touma slid from his chair. "Such misfortune," he muttered.

"Look, I'm not against the idea of her joining us; she did save Touma, Index, and myself from that other Evolved, but there are some things we need to do until we completely trust her," said Mikoro as she turned to face Kuroko.

Apparently, Mikoro had already learned the girl's name when she first met her. The girl's name was Kazari Rika. Siren had instantly recognized her name; she was the girl who fought alongside him at the store not too long ago.

Unfortunately, Mikoro wasn't able to tell them about Rika until after they had asked her some questions because she hadn't actually known it was Rika who was in the hospital. She never got a good look at her over the cameras—the ones Siren, Kuroko, and Mikoro put up didn't cover the area where they fought the Evolved—but she had pulled Siren and Kuroko aside after they questioned Rika and quickly explained that she knew the girl, but not on a personal level.

"First off, Kuroko will have to stay by that girl's side. If Rika is in fact an enemy, Kuroko can teleport the two of them just outside the barrier around the hospital. The barrier should stop the girl, and we can retrieve her and find out who she's working for."

The group nodded. "Next, we need her and Siren to get past their issues so that they're not at each other's throats," Mikoro continued, shooting a glance at Siren.

"A bit difficult to forget that she tried to kill me," Siren mumbled.

Mikoro rolled her eyes. "And Alex Mercer killed her father, and you're somehow connected to Alex."

"I'm sorry, but can we take a moment to remember the fact that her father was in _Blackwatch_?! I don't think it would have been easy to distinguish the 'nice' soldiers from the 'I really don't care who lives and who dies' soldiers," Siren growled. "More importantly, please keep that information to yourself."

Mikoro rolled her eyes. "You get what I'm saying though. Anyway, we'll have to work with her for some time before we can decide if we truly trust her."

"So," Kuroko began. "Do we have an agreement? Are we letting her stay?"

"I can deal with it as long as someone—someone who can actually hurt her—keeps an eye on her at all times," Siren commented.

"I'm ok with it," Touma said, Index nodding next to him.

Mikoto gave a thumbs up, and Mikoro nodded.

"Alright then," Kuroko began. "Let's go get acquainted with our newest 'teammate'."

***Page Break***

"Take it off, Rika," Siren said as he and Kuroko walked into the room. Rika promptly choked on her own saliva, coughing for a second before whirling to face Siren.

"What did you just say?"

"Take off the mask."

"How do you know my name?! I never told you my name!"

"One of the people we've been working with was a girl you saved a little while ago. I believe you know her; Mikoro. She knew your name."

Rika blinked. "Then…why all the questions about who I was?"

Siren shrugged. "Mikoro didn't know you were the one here until _after_ we talked. When she heard your voice, she recognized you."

"Wait, 'heard my voice'? How'd she hear—" Rika stopped as Siren held up his phone. He smirked slightly at the confused look on her face before it morphed into one of annoyance.

Rika sighed loudly before pulling off her mask, the frown still present on her face. "Not to be rude, but from what I've seen of Mikoro, she's not a fighter. What good does she do in this situation?"

"If you end up joining us, maybe you'll find out." He crossed his arms. "Now then, I want to know something before we move on. You and I were relatively even when we fought. So why didn't you just kill the thugs at that store?"

He was genuinely curious as to why she bothered holding back. He knew his own reasons, but knowing hers might give them some more information about her.

"I was keeping a low profile," Rika replied after a few seconds of studying him.

"Hiding from someone?" Siren asked. If this girl had secret enemies, he wanted to know about them; the last thing they needed was the Evolved joining forces with another enemy.

"Blackwatch. I was trying to stay under Blackwatch's radar. I don't need those freaks out here looking for me or harming my family."

"Aren't they dead?" Siren asked bluntly.

He immediately felt someone punch his shoulder. Turning, he saw Mikoro staring at him with an angry expression. "Siren," she hissed. "Don't speak to her like tha—"

"My family extends beyond my parents and sister," Rika growled.

Siren shrugged. "Just making sure you weren't changing your story or anything."

Rika smirked. "I figured you wouldn't trust me; you seem far too clever to throw your trust around unless someone's earned it."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Rika."

Mikoto stepped forward. "Look, we've decided that it's in our best interest to make some allies; so we're hoping you'll work with us. At this point in time, we're for the idea of working with you to stop the Evolved; the question is whether or not you're willing to work with us."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "When you say, 'working with us', what are you implying, exactly? Is this a partnership of sorts, or am I going to be taking order from you guys—because if that's the case, you can count me out."

"It's more like a partnership; nobody here 'gives orders'. We work together to bring down the Evolved. You want them dead for hurting your family, I want their memories so I can stop whoever is behind all this," he gestured to the others present. "And these guys want the Evolved out of their city and away from their families and friends. As far as I can tell, we all want something that involves the death of the Evolved in one way or another; the smart thing to do would be to work together to minimize our losses and maximize theirs."

Rika frowned, seemingly thinking the offer over. "So we work together, everyone's opinions and ideas are heard, and nobody has the right to boss anyone else around?"

"More or less," Mikoto answered. "But until you've completely proven yourself, Kuroko will keep an eye on you, and if things go bad, she'll teleport you right outside the barrier surrounding this hospital."

"Still can't believe someone managed to create an anti-Infected barrier," Rika mumbled. Suddenly, Rika's head snapped up. "Wait, what happens if I want to leave this little alliance?" she asked suspiciously.

Mikoto frowned. "You can leave whenever you want, but if you end up being an enemy—"

"Then you're dead," Siren finished with a scowl.

Rika nodded. "Seems fair…"

The girl crossed her arms, giving the offer one last thought before slowly looking up. "Ok then, count me in," she began with a small smile. "Can't wait to finish Clara off."

***Page Break***

Clara shuffled backwards as Ares approached her. He gave no outward indication of anger, but she knew he wasn't happy.

"I understand you enjoy fighting and that you were looking forward to testing Mercer, but I thought we had established that once someone locates Mercer, they are _to call in and report_. Why is it that you failed to follow such simple instructions?"

Clara rubbed the back of her head, mumbling something.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

Clara frowned. "I said I gave in to the temptation to test him without interference," she growled.

Ares sighed. "You see, this right here is the reason you were given less power than the others; you can't control yourself. You've proven your loyalty on several occasions, but failed to show the ability to control yourself."

Clara clenched her fists. "Apologies," she mumbled.

Ares stepped past her, stopping once his back was to her. "See that this doesn't happen again," he growled.

For a second, nothing happened. Then, without warning, Clara felt something stab her through the chest. Grunting, she looked down, noticing Ares' Claws sticking out of her chest.

"Consider this a _very_ minor warning," Ares told her before ripping his Claws out.

Clara flinched as Ares launched himself off the rooftop, flying off into the air and gliding away.

"Would certainly like to meet this 'great leader' of ours," she mumbled.

***Page Break***

"As it stands, I doubt any of us are any real match against Ares at the moment. He threw me around, and from what I saw of his Devastator, if that even was a Devastator, he probably has the ability to face down multiple opponents."

_That and there's an undeniable connection between him and Alex Mercer…just like how it is with me._

"So how are we going to stop him?" asked Touma.

"That is the major question then, isn't it?" Rika added.

Mikoto nodded. "If he's a Prototype like Siren, it's going to take a lot to bring him down before his healing powers can restore him." She turned to Siren. "Do you know of a way to neutralize your own healing factor? It might work on Ares as well."

Siren shrugged. "The only thing that comes to mind is the substance Ares injected into me not too long ago. However, I don't know if it'll work on Ares; he's probably been exposed to it and has built resistance. Actually, I probably did too."

Kuroko frowned. "Great, I forgot how quickly you're able to mutate; I'm guessing he can do the same?"

"Probably," Siren replied with a nod. In the seat to his left, Rika was frowning. "Would it be possible to kill him if he continuously takes damage at a rate faster than he can heal?"

"Again, probably. The problem is that Ares can undoubtedly sustain a lot of damage. Don't underestimate him; he's still a Prototype."

"Do you think we can turn the Evolved against him?" Rika asked.

The others groaned as Siren threw up his hands. "Thank you! See?! I told you guys that it's one of the best approaches!"

"Let's save such a cowardly method for when we're completely out of options. Besides, I was under the impression that Siren was going to try to consume the other Evolved in order to get strong enough to defeat Ares," said Mikoro.

"That's still want I'm going to do, but if Ares steps in before I'm strong enough or if I still won't be able to beat him after consuming the Evolved; what then? That's what we need to figure out now."

"Couldn't Kuroko teleport him in front of the barrier around the hospital? That's what you guys plan on doing to me if I do anything stupid, so why not do it to Ares?" Rika asked.

"I considered that," Kuroko began. "But that might burn him to death before Siren can consume him. If that happens—"

"I won't be able to take down whoever is behind all this. I need Ares' memories, and his power, to find the person who's been pulling all the strings."

"Wait, so if _I _messed up, you'd teleport me right outside the barrier only to let me burn?!" Rika asked.

Kuroko shook her head. "Not right outside it, but still close. It would be enough to subdue you, but not kill you."

"Then why not do the same to Ares?"

"If I did, we'd have to either bring Ares to Siren, or Siren to Ares. If we brought Siren to Ares, he'd only fall under the barrier's power and become too weak to actually consume Ares. If we brought Ares to Siren, the effects would wear off and Ares would be able to resist Siren's attempt at consuming him."

Rika frowned. "And you thought of all this…when?"

"Siren voiced his concerns to us after his fight with Ares."

_I also told you about my lost memories and connection to Alex Mercer, but hey, she doesn't need to know that, now does she?_

"The way I see it," Siren began, returning to the conversation, "is that we have to start at the bottom of their chain and work our way up. With your guys' help, I can consume Evolved after Evolved until I'm strong enough to take on Ares. With Mikoro on the cameras, finding the Evolved shouldn't be too much of a problem. On top of that, with Kuroko, Mikoto, and Rika helping me in a fight, we should be able to work through the Evolved rather quickly."

"I still call dibs on Clara," Rika growled. "That bitch is _mine_."

In all honestly, Siren could relate. The biggest reason behind him wanting Ares' memories was not because Ares knew of the location of the Evolved's headquarters, but because he was sure Ares knew what happened to Dana. Similarly, Rika wanted to kill Clara because the woman had murdered Rika's family members. However…

"Rika, Clara has DNA that I need. I can't let you kill her because the DNA she possesses will get me closer to Ares' level. Like it or not, Clara is a key component to taking down the Evolved."

"Yes, but I have a personal issue with her," Rika growled. "There are plenty of other Evolved out there for you to consume."

"And most of those Evolved are in their headquarters, which could be in the middle of a desert on the other side of the world for all we know. Ask yourself this, what's better, the death of one Evolved, or the extinction of their species?"

The others' heads snapped to him in surprise, but he continued, knowing that using Rika's hatred of the Evolved would help him in this situation.

"You hate the Evolved, yes, so why stop at killing one when you could help bring down their entire race? The Evolved need to be stopped; _all_ of them. In order to do this, we have to kill all of them. However, we can't do that until we've killed the other Prototypes, and if Ares is only the _second_ strongest, we need the Evolveds' DNA to kill the both of those Prototypes. Without me consuming all the Evolved in Academy City before taking on Ares, we may end up throwing away our only chance at survival. That and we throw away humanity's chance of survival by letting the Evolved become Prototypes."

Rika glared at him for several moments. Siren understood her position, but he hoped she would listen to reason. Ares had already proven that he was no pushover, and Siren wanted as much DNA he could get in order to kill Ares. Leaving only one Evolved for Rika may not have seemed like much, but none of them knew how many Evolved were in Academy City. For all they knew, it could have been only Laren and Clara.

"We can go for Clara last, you know," Mikoto said quietly. Everyone turned to her in confusion. "Before attacking Clara, Siren could try to…consume every other Evolved in Academy City. If we're lucky, he'll be strong enough to consume Ares without having to get Clara's DNA. If that's the case, Rika can take her down. If not, then I'm sorry Rika, but you have to let Siren consume Clara."

Rika frowned.

"Unless you have a better plan," Siren added.

After several seconds of silence, Rika looked up at him. "Clara dies last, and it'll only be by your hand if _absolutely _necessary. Otherwise," Rika's expression darkened. "_I _take her life like she took the lives of my mom and sister."

Siren nodded before looking around the room. "Before we get back to work, the lot of you should rest and eat to make sure you're good to go."

He smirked at them.

"Thinking up our next move will be harder if you're doing it on empty stomachs."

Slowly, Index turned to Touma. "So…food?"

***Page Break***

Mikoro slowly sat down on the floor next to Rika. Within the hospital's more public areas, chairs and tables were given to the injured, the elderly, those with children, and so on. Thus, people who were in good health and shape were to sit on the floor for their activities and conversations.

Rika scooted over as Mikoro sat down, allowing her to get comfortable. "Hey," she said before going back to eating the sandwich in her hand.

"Hi," Mikoro replied. Since the girl had arrived, Mikoro had wanted to befriend and learn more about her. "I, uh, I'm sorry about what happened to your family. It's…it's never easy having someone cut down your loved ones…"

Images of dead clones popped into her mind, but she quickly pushed them away.

Rika sighed and nodded. "Never gets any less painful."

"If it's any consolation, I think you're a strong person to be able to stand up against the Evolved in open combat."

"Your friends do the same thing, you know," Rika said dryly.

Mikoro smiled at her. "Oh I know. They're all really powerful, and they've got determination like no other. I'm just telling you this so you know that you're worth a lot to the human race right now; we need all the help we can get against the Evolved and the other Prototypes."

Rika shrugged. "Sad, but true. The funny thing is that humans were the ones to create the viruses that would give birth to the Evolved."

Mikoro nodded. "Yeah, some monsters out there decided they wanted to make a bioweapon capable of bringing the world to its knees. And what happened? A series of viral outbreaks, some offshoots of the viruses gained sapience, and now there's an entire race of Evolved poised to take over the world." She sighed. "How quickly things spiral out of control."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "The REDLIGHT and BLACKLIGHT viruses have been around since before you were born, you know that, right?"

Mikoro smirked. "Yes, but if you think about how long it took humans to become what we are today, the Evolveds' rise to power seems almost instantaneous."

Rika opened her mouth but quickly closed it. Mikoro _did_ have a point there.

"I was wondering about something; Siren doesn't need to eat food like this, and I understand that you and he are very different, but why do you eat this food? Do you even need to?"

"Just because I'm a Super Soldier doesn't mean I don't have a stomach. I don't consume people like the Evolved do, and I'm not like Siren—in the sense that I have organs while he doesn't—so yes, I still need food."

Mikoro nodded. "Why?" Rika asked when Mikoro took a bite out of her own sandwich.

The other girl blinked. "What?" she asked, crumble spilling from her mouth.

Rika rolled her eyes. "First, don't talk with your mouth full. Second, why did you want to know whether or not I eat food?"

"Oh that," Mikoro began while wiping her face. "I was just curious. Those that were created by the viruses, or are a virus, are very interesting to speak to and learn about. I've talked with Siren a couple times about his anatomy in comparison to a human's, but I wanted to hear your story too; you _are _a different being after all."

"Tch, same, twisted creators, different outcomes," Rika growled. "Blackwatch never seems to learn; the monsters they make have a habit of murdering their makers."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Oddly enough, I don't see much that needs to be explained in this chapter, but that's probably because I'm the author and know what's going on. Anyway, if you see anything that you'd really like clarified in this chapter, please tell me so that I can post it here for future readers.**


	26. Chapter 26

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**A RESPONSE TO THE GUEST: To the guest who asked why Siren seems so weak, here's my answer; Siren's has not been "nerfed", but the enemies have been "buffed". The Evolved in Academy City are the elite, the best, the most evolved of the group. No pun intended. They've been given unique samples of DNA that have helped them progress as fighters. That's why they fight so evenly with him. Rika is a Phase Three Orion Super Soldier, and if you've played Prototype 2, the Phase Two could pose a legit threat to Heller in the beginning, even if it was a little less powerful. Using that logic, one can assume that a Phase Three Orion Super Soldier would be on par with a Prototype. Finally, Ares has Siren's memories, and shares a unique connection to Alex Mercer. How Ares got so powerful has yet to be explained, but as the story has made obvious, he's superior to Siren at the moment. To restate all this; Siren's not weaker, rather, the enemies have become stronger.**

**Chapter 26**

**The Hunt Begins**

Mikoto covered her nose, coughing slightly at the stench. "How can you, "she paused as she went into a coughing fit, "stand this?!"

Siren shrugged in response. "I'm used to it."

Mikoto shuddered. "Ignoring the stench, I still don't like this; there've only been three Infected in here since we got here. There should be much more than this."

"Agreed," Siren replied, stepping over the corpse of a middle-aged man. He and Mikoto currently walked through a dimly lit hallway with dozens of corpses littering the area. The smell of the dead, coupled with the smell of the viruses that infected the bodies, created a strong, suffocating smell—one that Mikoto couldn't seem to stand.

Mikoro and Siren both jumped as a door to their left was flung open, a lone Infected stumbling through. The creature's head was swollen to nearly twice the normal size, flaps of skin covering the eyes.

Mikoto's face twisted in disgust as the Infected shuffled forward. She lifted her hand, shooting a bolt of electricity at the creature's head, killing it instantly.

"To think, that thing was once a person," she muttered.

"Best not to focus on things like that. Remember, those things aren't people anymore; they're driven by a virus and their only goal—"

"I know, I know. I'm not hesitating when it comes to putting them down. I'm just…just disgusted with the people that spread the viruses in Academy City in the first place."

Siren nodded slowly. "And that's why we're trying to kill them," he muttered. "Come on, let's keep moving." They continued walking for another minute or so, stepping over corpses and occasionally pushing aside fallen walls or other debris.

"Do you really think one of the Evolved could be here?" Mikoto asked.

"This building looks like it's been hit harder by the virus. No other building in this area had so much viral matter growing on its walls. This could be a complete coincidence, or it could actually lead to something. Either way, none of the others have spotted any of the Evolved yet, so we might as well check this area."

Mikoto sighed. "I seriously hate how elusive they are; it's nearly impossible to find them quickly!"

"They'd have been dead by now if they were easy to catch; remember they've—watch your head—they've been at war with Blackwatch since the start, and back then, they were probably outnumbered a hundred to one."

"Respectable," Mikoto grunted. "But annoying," she finished while taking a wide step to avoid stepping on the lower body of what was once a man. The two continued their walk through the empty building, noting the distinct lack of Infected. A building like this would have served as a perfect lair for a large group of Infected, and yet they were all missing.

The most likely explanation was that they were once here, but ended up leaving for whatever reason. Of course, the Infected usually shamble mindlessly about. For them to leave on their own would have meant that the Evolved had issued some sort of order.

Siren stopped as he felt it; the floor beneath his right foot seemed to sink in a little as he stepped on it. His head snapped to the floor with speed that might have damaged a normal human neck. Mikoto looked to him in confusion.

"What's—"

He held up a hand to silence her, concentrating on the ground beneath him. He reached out with his foot, stepping in that same area, trying to feel the point in the floor where his foot had sunk in slightly.

_There!_

He put a little more weight on his right foot, watching as the floor sunk in further. Mikoto watched him with a curious expression on her face.

Frowning, he lifted his foot up and stomped down on the floor, crushing it beneath him. Bending down, he brushed away the pieces of the floor still present and found himself staring at a single tendril that had grown out of the ground. If anything, it looked like a red, pulsating root as it reached out of the ground, only to reach back in a few inches away.

He reached out, grabbing the tentacle and giving it a yank, watching as part of it came loose. Yanking again, he watched as more of the tentacle gave way. Again and again he yanked, until the end of the tendril came out of the ground. Part of it was still in, but the other part had been removed, leaving behind an oddly shaped hole.

"Man, this thing grew through the building's foundation _and_ broke off part of the floor," Mikoto said from behind him. "How much force can these…things apply to a surface?"

Siren shrugged. "I have no idea to be honest, I—" He stopped as he heard it; a noise coming from the hole left behind by the tentacle he had just pulled from the ground.

"Wait," he began, drawing Mikoto's attention. "I hear something."

Mikoto immediately stiffened, bending her knees and preparing to fight. Siren stood still, eyes darting about as he attempted to focus on the sound he heard.

He could just faintly make it out; a low, haunting sound. Bending over, he brought his ear to the hole that was left behind by the tentacle, listening intently for the noise. From this position, he could hear it more clearly, and to his surprise, it sounded like…

"The Infected."

Mikoto blinked. "What?"

"It's the Infected. I can hear voices, but in the form of low, drawn out moans. Humans don't make noises like that just because, and I can hear many of them. It's got to be the Infected."

"Can you tell how many?"

He shook his head. "The noise is faint; it was sheer luck that we found it." He reached out, putting his hand into the hole in the ground. He willed a tendril to extend from his index finger, slowly reaching deeper and deeper into the ground.

For almost a minute, he felt around with the tendril, slowly making his way down until he felt something unusual.

"The air down there just got colder."

Mikoro blinked. "Colder? What do you mean 'colder'?"

"Colder as in it's not as hot anymore. On top of that, I can move the tendril freely now." He began moving the tendril around, feeling for whatever could be there. However, he felt nothing. His eyes widened.

"There's some kind of…cave down there or something."

"How can you tell?"

"The air must have gotten colder because the tendril I reached out with came out through the other end of this hole. On top of that, I'm feeling around with it, and there's open space—a large one. There's got to be something down there."

Mikoto's eyes widened in realization. "The Infected are going underground."

Siren narrowed his eyes. "No wonder there's so few of them up here in the buildings; they went down below."

"What do you think they're doing down there? Why would the Evolved send Infected underground?"

"I have no clue. For all we know, they're just trying to hide the Infected for an ambush, or this might not belong to the Evolved at all."

"Wait, what?"

He turned to her, a serious expression on his face. "Remember that Leader Hydra? It attacked the Evolved _and_ me. There's a chance that there's someone else out here that can control the Infected, and this could be their base of operations."

Mikoto frowned. "If it's that worm thing, shouldn't we call the others for support?"

"We could, but if it isn't the Leader Hydra, we'd only end up wasting everyone's time…no, no I take that back. One can never be too cautious. We'll call the others." He retracted the tendril as fast as he could, rising to his full height as it retracted entirely. He nodded toward Mikoto. "Call Kuroko and tell her to teleport as close as she can get to this place. We'll come out and lead her to it. Oh, and make sure she brings Rika along; now's the chance for her to start proving herself."

Mikoto nodded.

***Page Break***

"So…how're we supposed to get down there?" asked Kuroko. She, along with Siren, Rika, and Mikoto stood over the hole that Siren had heard the noises coming from.

"There's got to be an entrance somewhere around here. The Infected got there somehow, didn't they?" Siren replied.

"You do realize that the entrance could be on the other side of the city, don't you?" Rika asked.

"Making the entrance far away would have been pointless. If someone stumbled upon it, they'd still eventually find the Infected below the ground. Putting the entrance far away would just mean the Evolved would have had to work harder to create a longer tunnel to the place they wanted to keep the Infected," Siren explained. "If for whatever reason, the entrance isn't here or we simply can't find it, we can always drop some explosives down the hole and create our own entrance, but that would undoubtedly alert whatever's down there."

He began turning around, looking for any signs of an entrance. "We should spread out, but not too far. Mikoto will check in one area, I'll search another, but Kuroko, you need to stay with Rika. You know, to—"

"Yes, I know why I have to stay close to her."

"Alright then, everyone's good to go? Give a shout if you find something. Start…screaming or something if you're in trouble."

The others nodded and the group began walking off in different directions, searching for what might lead them to the Infected hiding out underground.

***Page Break***

Mikoto grunted as her foot got caught between two metal poles that had been bent and twisted by what she could only assume was the hand of an Infected. Slowly pulling her foot our, she continued on, searching the ground for a secret entrance—or a regular entrance—that could have led to the Infected.

She was still disgusted by the heavy stench that hung in the air, but pushed her discomfort aside as she walked. Complaining about the smell would distract her, and the last thing she needed was to be bitten or scratched by an Infected.

Stepping over yet another corpse, she found herself walking into what looked like a very large waiting room. She wasn't sure what purpose this building served prior to the outbreak, but it seemed to have belonged to some sort of company.

Overturned desks and chairs littered the room, but there was more than enough space to walk freely. Mikoto made her way forward, closely observing the room. Like in every other room, this one held corpses.

Mikoto gritted her teeth as she saw more of them; more people who had been killed by the outbreak. Not long ago, her life was normal—or as normal as a Level 5 esper's life could be. She'd go to the store, talk to her friends, go to school, but all that changed when those Evolved showed up.

_Those damned monsters destroyed everything._

She felt her anger rising as she thought about everything that the Evolved had stolen. She wasn't the only one to lose something; many people lost friends, family, homes, many had simply lost their _lives_.

Fists clenching, Mikoto had to force herself to calm down as lightning danced around her body. However, she was never good with controlling her anger, so the lightning continued to whirl around her, spreading quickly.

After a few seconds, she finally calmed down to the point when the lightning slowly faded. Letting out a heavy sigh, she continued her search, looking for anything that would indicate—

She heard something.

Somewhere in front of her, she could hear the sounds of someone shuffling around and bumping into objects. Mikoto immediately got into a combat stance and slowly inched forward. She knew that it was possible that the noise was from one of the others, but she was positive that it was one of the Infected.

Eventually, she reached a corner and poked her head around it. As she expected, an Infected was mindlessly walking toward a…hole.

Her eyes widened. There, in the floor, was a hole large enough for a car to fit into.

_Huh, guess it wasn't a 'secret' entrance._

She moved around the corner, lighting sparking around her. Before she called the others, she wanted to take care of the Infected that was walking to the hole.

The Infected, still bumping into objects and shoving them aside paid her no mind as it moved toward the hole. Mikoto brought her hand up, her palm facing the creature. The sound of the electrical power building up in her hand must have drawn the creature's attention because its head slowly twisted until the Infected was staring at Mikoto.

She was met with a pair of milky white eyes that showed no sign of recognition or emotion. Mikoto narrowed her eyes and fired the beam of electricity. If anything, she was putting this…atrocity out of its twisted existence.

What she didn't expect however, was for the creature to leap out of the way, landing heavily on its feet, its unfocused eyes staring right through her. Mikoto blinked, confusion written across her face. Her confusion was quickly replaced with surprise as the Infected pounced forward, its hands transforming into Claws.

Mikoto rolled out of the way, firing two more blasts at the Infected. The creature only barely managed to dodge the blasts, and threw itself at her once more. Mikoto grunted as the Infected, moving too fast for her to fire an accurate shot, tackled her.

The two went tumbling to the floor, rolling around as they struggled with each other. Her instincts kicking in, Mikoto released deadly amounts of electricity into the Infected, watching as the creature jerked back, its mouth open, but no sound coming out.

The Infected stopped struggling almost instantly and went limp over her body. Mikoto grunted as she shoved the creature off, being careful to avoid cutting herself on its Claws.

As she threw the limp body off, she slowly rose to her feet, brushing herself off. She spared a glance at the Infected before reaching for her phone. She dialed Kuroko, wanting to tell her that she had found the entrance, or what she thought to be the entrance.

Mikoto waited for the call to get through, and before long, she heard a very familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Kuroko, it's me. I think I've found the entrance to the underground—GAH!"

Mikoto was flung off her feet as a hand swung around from her right and connected with her chest. Her phone flew from her fingertips as the air was brutally forced from her lungs.

She landed on her back only a few feet from the massive hole in the ground, desperately gasping for breath. Looking up, she quickly noticed another Infected—one without Claws—rushing at her as fast as it could. Mikoto bent over as the creature threw a clumsy punch at her, watching as it tumbled over her and straight into the entrance to the underground lair. However, as it fell over the edge, its hand shot out, grabbing Mikoto by the leg.

Before she could react, gravity dragged both of them into the hole. Suddenly, Mikoto was tumbling and rolling through a dark, spiraling tunnel, her only company being the Infected that was desperately trying to kill her.

***Page Break***

"Onee-sama? Onee-sama?!" Kuroko shouted into her phone when she heard Mikoto's cry. Next to her, Rika was turning to her with a wide-eyed look.

"What's going on?!"

"We're getting Siren and finding Onee-sama!" Kuroko dialed Siren's number, but to her annoyance, the call didn't get through. "Damn it! We've—"

She was cut off as her phone went off, indicating someone was calling her. Looking down, she saw that it was Siren. She quickly picked up the phone, Siren's voice instantly coming through.

"Kuroko! I heard screaming and Mikoto's not picking up! I called you, but I think you called me at the same time! What's going on?!"

"I don't know! Onee-sama called and said that she found the entrance to the underground lair thing but before she could tell me where it was, I heard her scream and I think I heard fighting!"

"Shit," Siren replied. "I was close enough to hear where her voice was coming from, so I have a small idea as to where she might be. I'm going to start smashing through walls; follow the sound until you get to me. Hopefully I will have found the entrance's location and we can begin looking for Mikoto from there."

"No don't! You'll bring the whole building down on—"

"The building will be fine! The viral matter is reinforcing its structure and breaking a few walls probably wouldn't have toppled it anyway."

"Fine, fine! Just go!"

Siren hung up, and almost instantly, Rika and Kuroko were greeted with the sound of something demolishing the walls. "What the?! What is that?" Rika asked.

"It's Siren. He heard Mikoto and is ripping his way through the walls so that we can find and follow him. Come on!"

They both began moving forward, following the sounds of Siren destroying walls and anything else that he needed to in order to get to the entrance.

_Come on Onee-sama, don't die on us now!_

***Page Break***

Mikoto and the Infected finally came crashing out the other end of the entrance in a tangle of arms and legs. Mikoto managed to recover first, using her feet to push the Infected off.

She jumped to her feet as fast as she could, but was disoriented and dizzy from falling down such a long tunnel. The world twisted and warped around her, making it difficult to focus on the Infected as it dragged itself to its feet.

She suddenly became aware of the noises around her, and they made her blood run cold.

Moaning.

As her vision slowly began returning to normal, Mikoto saw them. Hundreds of them scattered throughout the large room, each and every one of them watching her.

The Infected.

She tried to maintain a combat stance, but her legs were still shaky from the fall down the tunnel. To her surprise, the Infected hadn't moved yet. They just stood there, watching her as if they were in some sort of trance.

Mikoto couldn't even begin to understand why they hadn't attacked her, but—

_Crapcrapcrapdodge!_

Mikoto barely managed to move out of the way as the Infected that had attacked her earlier lunged forward, its jaws open as it tried to bite her. She stepped back, instinctively firing a blasé of electricity that connected with the Infected's chest, sending it flying into a group of more of the creatures.

Oddly enough, the others made no attempt at getting out of the way and just stood there as the Infected she shot slammed into them, knocking several of them into the floor.

She watched the group, waiting for them to attack, but none of them did. The Infected that she had shot was laying face first in the ground, its body giving the occasional twitch from her lightning, but other than that, it was still.

The other Infected still hadn't moved, opting to watch her with blank expressions on their mutated faces. Mikoto hesitantly looked around, waiting to see if any of them would attack her. For several minutes, she stood there, waiting for something to happen.

When nothing did, Mikoto did something she was sure she'd regret; she approached a group of Infected. They made no move to do anything to her, so she slowly inched closer and closer until she was within arm's reach of one of them.

She reached out with her hand, waving it in front of the creature's face. Its eyes followed her movements, but it did nothing about them. Mikoto was speechless. She had no idea how to react to this situation; attacking them might set these creatures off, and if she could, she'd prefer to avoid a fight until she wasn't disoriented and outnumbered a couple hundred to one. Weak as they may be, these creatures' bodies were still overflowing with REDLIGHT, BLACKLIGHT, or a mixture of the two, and Mikoto didn't want them infecting her as well.

Not wanting to push her luck—or test this twist of fate—Mikoto backed off, keeping an eye on the Infected in front of her. Since she wasn't in a state of panic at being surrounded anymore, she was able to get a good look at the room she was in. It was a large room with a ceiling that was far, far above their heads. She wondered what this room was used for prior to the outbreak, but pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind for now.

The walls looked like they had once been grey, but viral matter covered the majority of the room, making it seem a blood red, rather than its original color scheme. She could see vents with working fans under them lining the floor in the middle of the room where a massive red tendril grew from the floor into the ceiling. The hole she and the Infected had tumbled through was actually in the wall, which was probably the reason why she didn't die when she fell out of it; a fall from the ceiling here could have broken her bones, and if she landed on her head, it might have been the end of her.

She frowned. While the entrance was a painful one to get through, it was possible to survive. Had the tunnel leading to the room been purposefully made in such a manner where it twisted and turned to prevent one form falling directly through? She assumed that the Infected could survive a direct fall from the building above to this room, but what she assumed and what was true could be two very different things.

Suddenly, something was flung out of the entrance through which she and the Infected had tumbled through. Whirling around, Mikoto was greeted with the sight of Siren dragging himself to his feet, groaning in what seemed to be more annoyance than pain.

Not a second later, Rika came crashing through as well, landing on her back with a grunt. The girl pulled herself to her feet, shaking her head. With her mask off, Mikoto got a clear view of the girl's surprised expression when she saw all the Infected in the room that currently stared at her and Siren.

Siren's eyes were wide in shock, and he quickly formed his Claws, but just before he could strike, Mikoto moved forward, calling out to him. "Wait!"

Siren and Rika both snapped to attention and turned to Mikoto. "Mikoto?" Siren asked. "You're alive! Did anything infect you?" he shot a stream of questions at her as she walked toward her, but Mikoto held up a hand to stop him. "I'm fine, but look!" She pointed to the Infected around them.

Siren looked around, eyes narrowing. "Mikoto," he asked quickly. "Can you fight? How much—"

"Don't you notice something unusual?" Mikoto asked him, drawing his attention back to her. He blinked and looked around once more. Frowning he turned back to her, opening his mouth, but before he could speak, Rika voiced her observation.

"They're not attacking," she said, eyes widening. Siren looked between Rika, Mikoto, and the Infected, realization overtaking his features. "What the? What's wrong with them?"

"I have no clue. They haven't bothered me in the slightest since I got here. The only one that gave me trouble was the one that managed to get the jump on me while I was talking to Kuroko at the top end of the entrance."

Rika turned to Siren at the mention of Kuroko. "Hey, weren't you gonna call—"

Siren was already grabbing his phone, dialing who Mikoto could only assume was Kuroko. After a few seconds, Kuroko must have picked up because Siren began talking. "Hey, we found Mikoto. She's alive and healthy; just a few cuts and bruises." He paused for a second and held the phone away from his mouth, turning to Mikoto. "How'd you get those cuts?"

"Huh? Oh, I tumbled down the tunnel and must have gotten scratches along the way. I'm not infected or anything."

Siren nodded before bringing the phone closer to his mouth. "She says she got them while falling through the tunnel. According to her, she's not infected." A pause. "No, don't. Tumbling through the tunnel could cause you serious damage. Mikoto seems to have gotten extremely lucky, and Rika and I are far more durable than you. Plus, we have healing factors." Another pause. This time, it was accompanied by an eye roll. "Kuroko, I'm capable of understand the situation we're in. Yes, I'll keep her alive, don't worry." He let out a low chuckle. "Nice to know you have such faith in me. Stay up top and teleport to us if—oh wait. You can't teleport down here yet. Crap. Fine, stay up top and cover the entrance. If Ares gets there, teleport somewhere safe and call us to warn us."

He pulled the phone away from his ear, hanging up and muttering something about teleporting limitations. "Alright, we've got some choices to make. Rika and I talked to Kuroko prior to this and decided that if you were in good condition, which we doubted, you, Rika, and I would explore this place. You seem to be fine, but the choice here is yours; do you want to go with Rika and me to scout this place out or do you want us to carry you back up through the tunnel?"

It took Mikoto less than a second to respond. "I'll stay. Besides," she said, gesturing to the Infected around them. "I've gotta know what's up with these Infected. This doesn't seem natural." She paused for a second, thinking about her previous statement. "Well, ok, none of this is really 'natural', but you get what I'm saying; the Infected aren't attacking, which is completely unnatural compared to what we've seen of them so far."

"Well, I'm good to go," Rika began. "You two ready to check the place out?"

Siren nodded then looked to Mikoto—who was grinning and allowing lightning to flash around her as she slammed her fist into her palm. "Let's do this," she said excitedly.

Siren and Rika both nodded before turning around and looking around the room. It wasn't long before Siren spotted a platform at the far end of the room with a set of stairs leading up to it.

"That seems like the only other way out of this room besides the tunnel we came through." He jerked his chin towards the platform. "Any objections?"

When it was clear that neither Rika nor Mikoto had any reason to take a different route, the trio began walking towards the platform, still wary of the Infected surrounding them.

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" Mikoto asked Siren. The silver-haired teen shook his head in response. "Never. I've never encountered a group of Infected this…calm before."

Mikoto turned to Rika. "What about you? You were one of Blackwatch's experiments; have you ever encountered something like this?"

Rika shook her head. "This is new to me too."

They walked in silence from then on, quickly reaching the platform and walking up the stairs. The platform led to a large, dark hallway that was large enough for a bus to fit through.

Siren was the first to walk in, glancing around before waving Mikoto and Rika over. "Hey," Rika began. "Can't you detect Infected, or something? Why not use that to see if there's anything of interest around here?"

Siren shook his head. "Infected Vision doesn't allow me to see through walls, and Thermal Vision can only detect heat signatures through thin surfaces. The walls here are several times too thick for me to be able to actually find anything."

Rika frowned. "Crap. Thought we had something there."

They continued walking until they came to a point where the hallway split off into two directions—one left and one right. "Should we split up or something?" Mikoto asked.

Siren and Rika both shook their heads. "We're already outnumbered, and while the Infected back there didn't attack us, it doesn't guarantee that everything down here is as calm. Splitting up will only get us picked off one by one," Rika explained.

Mikoto shrugged and decided to ask the obvious question. "So…which way?"

This time, she was met with silence as Siren and Rika both looked in separate directions, wondering which path would be best. Siren walked over to the path that led right and looked down into the darkness. Mikoto could tell he was activating one of his powers because tentacles writhed around him for a second before settling. He turned towards them, and Mikoto noticed his eyes were now a bright, glowing gold color.

He turned and walked to the hallway that led left and looked down, searching for something. "I don't see any Infected signatures besides Rika and I. Both hallways seem empty, so I guess we just choose at random."

"Fine, then right it is," Rika said while turning and walking down the right hallway. Siren and Mikoto shared a look before they both shrugged and walked after Rika, Siren's Infected Vision visibly deactivating as tentacles writhed around him and his eyes lost their golden glow.

The walk wasn't very eventful—on the contrary, it was dead silent for a while. "This is _way_ too peaceful. The Infected back there didn't just wander in here; someone or something must have brought them for a reason. There's got to be something more to this," Rika said from in front of them.

"Agreed. We're bound to find something down here, informative or not."

"I'd hope it's informative," muttered Mikoto. "That tunnel isn't exactly a water slide, and falling through it was far from fun."

"Be thankful you're alive. Imagine how humiliating it would be if the world remembered you, Misaka Mikoto, as the Level 5 esper who died because she tripped and fell," Siren replied.

"Guys…"

"Hey! I didn't trip! That Infected attacked me and caught me off guard!"

"Guys!" Rika hissed under her breath. "What is that?"

Siren and Mikoto immediately turned to Rika, tense expressions on their faces. "What?" asked Siren.

"The _noise_! Listen!"

Siren and Mikoto remained quite as they tried to listen. "You're right…there's something down here."

"Wha? Ugh! I hate not having super hearing! I can't hear anything," Mikoto complained.

"It sounds like growling and snorting. It's something…big. Much larger than the Infected we saw back there."

Siren's and Rika's eyes narrowed. "Hunters," they said simultaneously.

"This way," Rika said as she began jogging forward. Siren jogged after her, followed by Mikoto. It wasn't long before the three rounded a corner and were presented with the sight of another room—nearly identical to the one before. There were Infected scattered all over the room too, the only real difference between this room and the last being that this one held Hunters as well as the lesser Infected.

Said Hunters looked different from the average pink, elephant-sized gorilla things that had plagued Academy City. These creatures had massive white bones growing out of their backs and shoulders. They were larger than the average Hunter, but not quite as large as the Leader Hunters.

They were walking around, eating the other Infected, but without any recognizable pattern. It seemed that they ate whenever it pleased them, and the lesser Infected didn't fight back in any way.

"So…new Hunters," Mikoto commented. "Or, is this a common thing?"

Siren and Rika both shook their heads. "I haven't actually seen Hunters like these before. This is getting weirder by the second," Rika replied.

"I'm starting to question how unusual any one thing can become. Come on; let's see what we can find."

As the three walked into the room and into plain sight, Mikoto stopped. "Wait, what if these guys aren't—"

A Hunter caught sight of them and instantly let out a loud roar as it charged them. The noise caught the attention of the other Hunters, and less than a second later, every Hunter in the room—all four of them—were charging at the trio.

"Scatter!" Siren yelled as the three jumped away from each other just as the first Hunter came crashing through.

Mikoto fired a stream of electricity at the ground and propelled herself further away as the other Hunters closed in. Siren glided closer to the Hunters, landing on his feet and immediately sprinting forward, Claws forming on his arms.

Rika sprinted forward the moment her feet hit the ground as well, fists raised over her head as she brought her hands down on the head of the Hunter that had reached them first. Siren pounced on the nearest Hunter and began shredding its head with his Claws, while Mikoto fired a blast of electricity from each hand, catching the remaining two Hunters in the head and chest.

Said Hunters stumbled back a little but managed to push forward for a second. However, their advance was halted as Mikoto fire more electrical strikes at them, forcing the two beasts to back up.

Over to the side, Rika was flipping the Hunter she attacked over her head and slamming it headfirst into the ground. "This is too easy! These guys are even weaker than the regular Hunters!" she called.

"Don't let your guard down!" Siren screamed from his position atop the Hunter as he decapitated it. Mikoto pumped a little more power into her lightning, and found that it blasted through the remaining two Hunters with far less ease than usual.

"Huh…" She turned to Rika, a smug look on her face. "And you were so worried! Hah!"

Rika frowned. "I was not _worried_, I was _aware_."

Mikoto's response was to grin widely at the other girl, causing Rika's frown to deepen.

"Come on, let's keep moving," Rika said as she walked closer. "Strange-looking Hunters, Infected that have lost their will to fight; who knows what else could still be hiding down here?"

"Hang on a sec," Siren began. "I want to consume some of these Infected to see if there's anything useful that can be pulled from them."

The lesser Infected still hadn't attacked the trio. They merely watched with blank expression, devoid of worry, fear, and everything else.

Siren walked over to the nearest Infected, picking it up by the throat and consuming it in the blink of an eye. Clearly unsatisfied, he moved on, grabbing another Infected and repeating the process.

Rika and Mikoto silently watched, waiting for the local sapient virus to finish his meal. It was then that an irritated voice echoed from the hallway that they had come through.

"—eating our Hunters! Fucking ridiculous!"

"Calm down, Grevin. We've got more than enough for now, and the Leader Hydra can be dealt with in time. Besides, it never went out of its way to eat the Hunters. It went after the ones that chased it after it tried to escape."

Mikoto, Siren, and Rika stood frozen, unsure of what to do as two figures walked into the room. The taller of the two was wearing a Blackwatch uniform, while the shorter wore a black sleeveless shirt and a pair of what looked like some sort of black military pants. A black facemask that started beneath his shirt covered the lower half of his face, and white bandages covered his arm from the fingers to the elbow.

As the two walked in, they became aware that they weren't alone and turned to look in surprise at the trio who currently occupied the room with them.

A moment of silence passed before Siren, Rika, and Mikoto all jumped back, all shouting out the same word.

"Evolved!"

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Kuroko Not Teleporting: It's been quite a while since I've seen Kuroko in action, but I believe she can't teleport to places that she hasn't been to before. The wiki says that "one disadvantage of her power is that she has to concentrate on where she, the object(s), and/or person she holds will be teleported to…" Common sense would tell you that she would have had to have seen the place she wishes to teleport to, so not seeing the underground lair would mean she can't teleport there. If I'm wrong, tell me so that I can release a notice in this chapter explaining that this story will stray slightly from Kuroko's canon abilities. **

** Rika Showing Up On Infected Vision: So, if you caught it, Rika showed up as an Infected when Siren used Infected Vision. The reason for this is that, in this story, the Orion Phase Three Super Soldier is powered by BLACKLIGHT DNA gathered during the outbreak in New York. Rika isn't technically an Infected, but a girl that was turned into a Super Soldier through the use of the virus. Just thought that I'd clarify that for people who may not be familiar with [Prototype].**


	27. Chapter 27

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**RESPONSE TO THE GUEST'S REVIEW: To the guest who asked about the Imagine Breaker, here's my answer; by the standards of real life, the powers displayed in [Prototype] fall under the category of 'supernatural'. However, in this story, the viruses and those who gained powers from them aren't exactly supernatural. In this story's world, the viruses are very real, and while they are capable of feats that are nearly unimaginable at first, they're not exactly 'supernatural' to the characters of this story. Touma's ability lets him cancel out esper powers and magic, both of which differ from the abilities of the Evolved/Prototypes. Every viral creature in this story so far has been powered by the virus(es), meaning that their shape shifting powers are biological. If Touma was able to cancel this out, it'd be like saying that he could cancel out someone's ability to breathe with a touch. Even in real life, there are creatures that have biological abilities that we might find supernatural at first. For example, there's a type of jellyfish that can literally age backwards, thus making itself 'immortal' until something kills it. This may seem supernatural, but it's real, and it comes from the jellyfish's natural biology (there are no supernatural powers at work in its body). Also, no, I don't plan on having Touma fight Clara because he'd just get killed (seriously, he has nothing that can harm her). Thanks for the review!**

**Chapter 27**

**Escape Routes**

"Evolved!"

Siren, Mikoto, and Rika leapt backwards, putting distance between themselves and the two Evolved. The Evolved, while shocked at first, reacted quickly, jumping away as well and creating their weapons—the one in the Blackwatch suit formed two Whipfists while the other formed a pair of three-fingered Claws.

"What the?!" yelled the one in the Blackwatch suit. "How the hell did you get here?!"

"The front door," growled Rika.

Immediately, the Evolved in the Blackwatch suit turned to Rika. While he couldn't see the man's face, Siren was sure he was grinning.

"Ah, if it isn't Blackwatch's little fuckup," he said, chuckling at his own joke before turning to Siren. "What? Were the teleporting and electric sluts not enough?"

Mikoto narrowed her eyes at the insult, lighting building up around her hands.

"Don't let him get under your skin," Siren called to her. "Stay calm, stay focused."

"Grevin."

Everyone turned to the black-haired Evolved who had just spoken. "The Hunters; where are they?"

The man in the Blackwatch suit—Grevin—began turning around and surveying the room. "They were…here."

The other Evolved gave a loud sigh. "Great. There goes that project," he growled, turning to face Siren, Mikoto, and Rika. "Thank you ever so much for ruining my work. I hope there was good reason for it, because I spent quite some time down here, hunched over in a lab, trying to improve those damn things."

Siren's eyes widened. "Improve them? What do you mean?"

"Oh wouldn't you like to know."

Mikoto was frowning and twitching, obviously ready for combat. "Any specific plans to fight them?"

"Watch out for that guy's Whipfists; they extend," Rika offered.

Grevin threw his hands up in the air. "Genius! Who would have guessed that Whipfists could extend?! You truly are the queen of observations!"

"We'll see how far they extend once I shove them up your ass," Rika snarled.

"Kinky. Aren't you a little young for this sort of thing?" asked Grevin in a smug tone of voice.

"Pervert," said both Mikoto and Rika.

Siren and the other Evolved watched the scene with neutral expressions before locking eyes. Siren noticed that the black-haired Evolved gave away little emotion—something that Siren did often.

_He said he was trying to 'improve' the Hunters…Could he be the one in charge of controlling the Infected?_

He was torn from his thoughts as the Evolved rushed forward without warning, slamming into Siren with his shoulder. A thin trail of spit left Siren's gaping mouth as he was sent backwards by the force of the Evolved's attack.

Rika and Mikoto snapped to attention, both turning to Siren. "Siren!" Mikoto called.

"Eyes forward, _bitches_!"

Rika and Mikoto turned in time to see two Whipfists heading toward them. Mikoto dove out of the way, barely managing to avoid the blade-tipped weapon. On her end, Rika caught the Whipfist that Grevin had fired at her, yanking him forward.

Grevin yelped as Rika brought him closer to herself, before kneeing him in the head, sending him reeling back. The man recovered quickly, swinging one of his Whipfists in a wide arc, hoping to catch Rika in the midsection. The girl smirked and jumped, allowing the Whipfist to pass under her.

It was at that moment that Mikoto sent a stream of electricity at Grevin. The Evolved, clearly unprepared, was hit in the side and was flung to his right, away from Rika.

The two girls made eye contact and nodded to each other. Rika rushed forward, quickly closing the distance between herself and the Evolved. Mikoto followed, not as quickly, but with the advantage of ranged attacks.

Before the Evolved could get back on his feet, Mikoto fired electricity at him once more, making sure to avoid hitting Rika in the process. The lightning flew past Rika and blasted the Evolved clean off his feet. Mikoto felt a wide grin spread across her face at that.

Grevin managed to recover rather quickly, jumping to his feet as Rika finally reached him. The girl drew back her arm and threw a powerful punch, using her momentum to help. Grevin spun out of the way, lashing out with his Whipfist and laughing as it wrapped around the girl's waist.

With a heave, he threw her straight at Mikoto. Said girl's eyes widened as Rika crashed into her, sending both of them tumbling. They scrambled to their feet as they heard the Evolved closing in. Grevin jumped into the air and flipped forward, extending his Whipfists so that they whirled around him as he flipped.

Rika jumped out of the way, dragging Mikoto along with her. The two girls managed to escape Grevin's reach, and before he could properly land, Mikoto was already launching electrical blasts at the Evolved.

While the blasts missed, they threw Grevin off, causing him to land on his side, rather than his feet. Instead of attacking however, the Evolved began jumping away, putting distance between them. Instead of looking at Rika, his head was turned towards Mikoto, and it didn't take a genius to figure out he was glaring in annoyance.

"Careful," Rika began. "I think up to this point, he's been focusing on me more because I'm a Super Soldier. Looks like he's starting to see you for what you are."

"Oh? And what am I?" Mikoto asked.

Rika turned to her and grinned. "A threat to them."

Mikoto smirked. Here she was, fighting back against the forces that threatened her home, and she was a _threat_ to them. Times like these made all the responsibilities of being a Level 5 esper worth it.

***Page Break***

Siren grunted as the Evolved's Claws dug into his Shield. Despite the power behind the attack, the Shield didn't budge, much to the Evolved's annoyance. Siren swung with the Blade on his right arm, attempting to cut the Evolved in two. He hopped into the air, narrowly avoiding the attack and landed on Siren's Blade, attempting to dislodge his Claws from Siren's Shield.

After a few short seconds of struggling, the two shape shifters jumped away from each other, both landing on their feet.

Siren observed his opponent, wondering how he stacked up against Ares.

_Probably no comparison there…_

The Evolved—like Siren—was observing his opponent, but what was going through his head, Siren didn't know. Another moment passed before they both leapt into action, sprinting towards each other with their weapons drawn.

Siren swung his Blade as though he were attempting to backhand the Evolved. The other shape shifter anticipated this, leaping into the air to avoid the strike and landing behind Siren. Before Siren could react, he felt the Evolved's Claws wrapping around his right leg.

He blinked in surprise as he was yanked back and swung around. The Evolved spun for momentum while holding on to Siren before releasing him, watching as Siren was sent rocketing towards the wall.

Siren grunted and planted his Blade into the ground, halting his movement almost entirely. The momentum carried him a little further and his arm twisted at an odd angle as his Blade was kept perpendicular to the ground.

Using the Blade as an anchor, his body snapped back towards the Evolved. Siren jerked his Blade from the ground as his body moved, allowing himself to be flung back at the slightly surprised Evolved.

Said Evolved was forced to dive out of the way as Siren attempted to run him through with his Blade. Planting his hands onto the ground before his feet even touched it, the Evolved sprang into the air, raising both Claws over his head before pouncing at Siren.

Siren lifted his own arms, allowing them to turn into his Claws. He caught the Evolved's Claws in his own, and the two began a contest of who could push the other back. All it took was a few seconds before both realized Siren had the upper hand in sheer strength.

Grunting, the Evolved took a step back as Siren pushed on. Siren's strength proved to be his downfall here as the Evolved jerked back, falling on his back. Siren tumbled forward on top of the Evolved, only to be kicked off and into the air.

Siren flipped in the air, turning to face the Evolved as he jumped from the ground, straight toward Siren. Cursing under his breath, Siren crossed his arms over his face as the Evolved attempted to run his Claws through Siren's head.

The bladed fingers of the Evolved's Claws tore into Siren's arms, the blades burrowing deep into the biomass that made up his body. Siren kicked out with his right foot, slamming it against the Evolved's knee. Siren smirked when he heard something crack from his kick, but the Evolved refused to remove his Claws.

The two plummeted to the ground, Siren trying to dislodge the Evolved while said Evolved attempted to stay in place. The Evolved twisted around until he was above Siren, but his Claws stayed put.

Siren's eyes widened in surprise as the two crashed into the ground, the Evolved using him to break his own fall. Rising to his full height, his opponent ripped his Claws from Siren before raising them above his head.

"Incoming!"

The Evolved looked up in surprise, and Siren watched as the other Evolved—Grevin—slammed into his partner, sending the two flying.

Siren scrambled to his feet, just as a grinning Rika rushed past him towards her opponent. Mikoto followed shortly, flashing Siren a smile as she ran by.

"Making progress!"

Siren nodded to her before sprinting towards the two Evolved, quickly passing Mikoto and fighting to catch up with Rika. The Evolved were pulling themselves to their feet, groaning as they did so.

"Sorry 'bout that, Luke," Grevin grunted as he stood.

_Huh, so that's his name._

"Imbecile," Luke growled as he stood up.

Rika was dangerously close to them now, but Grevin was already rushing forward to meet her. Luke looked up and locked eyes with Siren before charging at him.

Siren's eyes narrowed and he allowed his Hammerfists to form in place of his Claws. Lifting both arms over his head, he slammed them into the ground, causing a wall of spikes to rush through the ground and burst out from it in a cone-shaped pattern.

Luke jumped over the attack, swinging around and aiming a kick at Siren's head. He was interrupted by an electrical blast to the chest, courtesy of Mikoto. Siren moved beneath Luke before he could hit the ground and raised his knee, allowing Luke to land on it.

The Evolved's mouth opened, but no sound came out as he slammed back-first into Siren's knee. With the air torn from his lungs, Luke was unable to defend himself as Siren grabbed him, lifting him into the air before slamming him into the ground.

He jumped on the Evolved, preparing to consume him, but Luke fanned out his Claws, preventing Siren from getting a good grip.

It was then that Siren's phone began ringing.

_Crap! Can't get that here, not now! _

Few people had this phone's number, and some of those people were in this very room. Perhaps it was Kuroko—

_Shit! I told Kuroko to call in case of emergency! Why now?!_

The call went unanswered, but when the voice mail kicked in, it was Mikoro's voice that came through. Both Siren and Luke paused as they listened to the message left by Siren's friend.

"Siren! I just picked up Ares on the cameras! It looks like he's coming your way—to the building you went into! Get out of there!"

Siren's eyes widened and a while the lower half of Luke's face was hidden by his mask, Siren could tell he was grinning. "We're not like Clara. Grevin gave Ares a call after we saw you," he said smugly.

_Damn it! I never even saw him do it!_

Siren's moment of panic was all it took for Luke to throw him off, freeing himself. Landing on his feet, Siren turned to Mikoto and Rika. "Guys! Ares is coming! We're leaving!"

Rika's head snapped to him. "We're close! We can take these guys before Ares—"

She was interrupted as Luke spread his arms and let out a loud roar. A red mist exploded from his body, surrounding him before disappearing. Immediately, the Infected in the room went completely insane, scrambling over each other to get to the trio before they could escape.

Siren's eyes widened as the small army of Infected charged at them. Rika and Mikoto stared in shock at the sight before coming to their senses and running towards the hallway they had come through—though Rika didn't look to happy about it.

Suddenly, the Infected shifted their attention towards the hallway and moved to block it before anyone could escape. Before the trio could escape, they found themselves separated from their exit my innumerable Infected.

They skidded to a stop, watching as their only exist was overrun with Infected.

_Either Luke or Grevin must have ordered them to block the entrance. Damn it! Ares will get here any minute!_

"Just cut through them!" Rika shouted. "There are many of them, but they're weak!"

Just as he was about to respond, Siren noticed Grevin out of the corner of his eye. The Evolved pulled back his Whipfist and launched it at—

"Mikoto! DUCK!"

Mikoto instantly dropped to the ground the moment the words left his mouth. Grevin's Whipfist passed harmlessly over her head, missing it by inches. Before he could try again, Rika was already moving towards him, putting herself between him and Mikoto.

Siren felt someone slam into him, and before he knew it, he was on the ground with Luke on top of him, his Claws buried in Siren's neck and chest. Siren's arms shot up, straight through Luke's chest, but he wasn't able to force the Evolved off.

"Mikoto," he choked out, Luke's Claws in his neck making it difficult to speak. "Get…him…off!"

Luke's eyes widened as he realized what Siren said, but before he could react, a blast of electricity punched through his chest, sending the wide-eyed Evolved flying off him.

Prioritizing his throat, Siren pumped biomass into it to speed the healing process before his head snapped to Mikoto—who was approaching them as fast as she could. "The Infected; they're weak to electricity! You can blast through them! We'll keep the Evolved off your back, but hurry!"

He didn't wait for confirmation before whirling around and sprinting at Luke. As the Evolved was standing, up, Siren formed his Hammerfists and swung at Luke, slamming him back down into the ground.

The Evolved rolled out of the way before Siren's second strike could connect. His Hammerfist obliterated the ground it had hit, sending debris in every direction. Luke landed a distance from him, lifting his Claws in preparation for battle.

The two charged at each other, eyes narrowed and lips pulled back in snarls. Siren drew back his Hammerfist, preparing to throw all his weight behind his next punch. Luke spread his Claws and pounced at Siren. Time seemed to slow as the two neared each other.

Suddenly, brilliant blue light burst into existence to Siren's right, bathing the room in the same color. Both viral beings froze, turning to face the strange, unexpected occurrence.

In front of the small army of Infected was what looked like a large, blue orb. Lighting whirled furiously around the orb, occasionally springing on to the ground.

_Mikoto?_

Siren's eyes widened as he realized that what was happening was a display of Mikoto's power. Due to her lack of viral abilities, he often forgot that she was still a Level 5 esper.

Suddenly, the orb burst, lighting flying in every direction. The sheer force of the blast actually pushed Siren back several inches, and he was nowhere near Mikoto. The lighting sprang forth, engulfing the Infected that had blocked the only known exit.

Siren squinted slightly as the light became brighter. He could hear the shrieking of the Infected as Mikoto's lighting swallowed them. He could barely make out the sound of Luke growling in frustration at having his small army obliterated by a single human.

It took several seconds for the lightning to fade and for the light to finally begin to die out. Slowly but surely, everything came back into view, allowing Siren to see the results of Mikoto's actions. If anything, he was impressed with the electric esper.

Mikoto stood in front of a massive pile of smoldering Infected corpses. If any of the creatures survived, they were too weak to move now. The esper herself seemed to be fine, not showing any visible signs of complete exhaustion, but Siren doubted that she wasn't at least a little worn out.

"Damn it," hissed Luke. Siren was brought back into reality as he remembered that Ares was already on the way. Acting fast, Siren lashed out, slamming his foot into Luke's chest. The Evolved was flung back with a pained grunt, bouncing across the ground.

Siren whirled around and sprinted towards the entrance, now unblocked thanks to Mikoto. "Rika, Mikoto, let's go!"

Rika obviously didn't want to leave, but the will to survive overpowered her thirst for revenge this time, and she began running towards the entrance as well. Mikoto wasted no time in taking off, but Siren knew that the girl could only move so fast. So, to speed up the process, he grabbed her as he ran, literally sweeping her of her feet.

"What the—?! Siren! Put me down!" screamed a red-faced Mikoto.

"You're slower than Rika and I; the Evolved would pick you off if you tried to run, you're too slow!"

Mikoto growled at him but accepted his reasoning. Within seconds, he caught up to Rika, the two Evolved behind him still hot on his tail. "Rika, head for the tunnel through which we fell through! If we hurry, we can get to Kuroko before Ares gets here!"

Rika glanced at him and nodded in response before facing forward once more. She and Siren continued their mad dash through the hallways, looking for the room that they had originally come from.

It took longer than he would have liked, but eventually, the trio charged into a room and saw a familiar tunnel at the far end of the wall. Unfortunately, this room was also full of Infected.

Siren heard Luke give a roar from behind him, and the Infected in the room suddenly reacted. They moved towards the entrance, attempting to block it.

Rika, apparently, would have none of that. With a roar, the girl charged headfirst into the small army of Infected, shoving them aside as she moved, clearing a path for Siren and Mikoto. Siren followed directly behind her, jumping over the bodies of Infected that she had run over.

They finally reached the tunnel, the only way they knew they could escape through. From the second they got in, the tunnel began spiraling upwards, and they began sprinting and jumping through said twisted tunnel—or rather, Siren and Rika ran while Mikoto sat in Siren's arms with an annoyed expression.

"Get back here Mercer!"

Siren ignored Grevin's screaming and continued on, jumping, weaving, and sprinting through the tunnel.

"MERCER!"

"You've got a fan," Mikoto said jokingly from his arms. Rolling his eyes, Siren tried to block her out and focus on moving through the tunnel without accidentally crushing Mikoto against the walls of the tunnel.

Parts of the tunnel ran horizontally, parts spiraled, and other parts were completely vertical, making it difficult to avoid the occasional crash. Once or twice, Siren actually thought he had crushed Mikoto to death against one of the walls, but her periodic grunting from being shaken around was enough evidence that she was alive.

He had begun losing sight of Rika, but he could still hear her. Besides, as long as this tunnel ran to the surface, he'd catch up to her eventually.

_Wait, this'll run to the surface, right? _

For all he knew, this tunnel could branch off into separate rooms. For the sake of their lives, he hoped that wasn't the case. Getting lost now would almost certainly result in death at Ares' hands once he got here.

He was aware of the Evolved still trailing behind him, a fact that served as a constant reminder that the end of his life could be waiting for him at the mouth of the tunnel.

Speaking of the tunnel's mouth, he began noticing that the tunnel walls began changing in color as he moved up—a fact that indicated that they were close to the exit, seeing as he remembered seeing these colors when jumping down the tunnel with Rika.

Just as expected, light flooded the tunnel and Siren found himself jumping through an opening—one that he desperately hoped was the same one through which he had came in through in the first place.

"There you are!" Rika's voice rang out. Siren took a look around, noting the familiar features and deducing that this was, in fact, the same place they had been before.

He didn't have time to respond because the Evolved came charging out through the entrance. Siren's eyes widened and he began sprinting again, prompting Rika to follow him.

"Kuroko! Kuroko, where are you?! We need to go, now!" Siren roared.

"Kuroko!" Mikoto called out, Rika doing the same.

Now that they were inside a building whose floors were covered in debris and other junk, Siren and Rika had to weave and duck through the various obstacles that blocked their way.

"Kuroko! Where—?!"

"Onee-sama!"

The trio turned and saw Kuroko jumping through a cluttered room to reach them. They immediately skidded to a halt and took off in Kuroko's direction.

"Leaving! NOW!" Rika shouted.

"The teleporting girl, kill the teleporting girl!" Luke's voice sounded from behind them. Kuroko looked at the Evolved in surprise, just as Siren, Rika, and Mikoto crashed on top of her, causing them to fall to the ground.

"Teleport us out of here," Siren told her as fast as he could while still keeping his words understandable. Rather than responding, Kuroko shut her eyes and concentrated. Siren assumed concentration in this situation was difficult for her, but just as the Luke's Claws came within inches of his face, the scenery changed, and he found himself on a rooftop, still lying on top of Kuroko.

Kuroko slowly opened her eyes. "We're out, right?"

Siren let go of Mikoto and fell on his back with a tired sigh. "Yeah…we're safe for now."

The others did the same, leaning falling on their backs—save for Kuroko, who was already on her back—and let out sighs.

"That could have gone better," Mikoto mumbled.

***Page Break***

Ares let out a loud sigh of annoyance. "This is humiliating. How long does it take to kill three little girls and a virus without most of his memories?"

"That teleporting esper is presenting a larger problem than Mercer himself," Luke commented.

"Don't forget the electric kid," Grevin threw in. "If it weren't for her, they never would have gotten out of that room in time."

Luke nodded from his place by the wall. "Those two espers are Mercer's legs. Unless we deal with them first, Mercer will keep hitting us and running off before we can capture him."

Ares frowned. "The Infected lack resistance to electricity, so the electric esper is more than a little problem. However, until the teleporting girl is out of the equation, they have a walking, talking escape route at their side at all times."

"Any ideas?" asked Grevin. Ares shook his head. "At the moment, I don't have a plan on how to deal with her. Our information on her is limited at best, nonexistent at worst. If we want her dead, we need time to observe and form a plan."

Luke sighed. "Why couldn't this be simple?"

"Because if a plan can go wrong," Ares began. "It'll most likely go wrong."

***Page Break***

Siren fell into the seat, allowing himself a moment of relaxation—something he didn't do often. Their encounter with the Evolved in the underground lair was sloppy. Too sloppy. They may have had Kuroko at their side to get them out of tight spots, but the Evolved had a Prototype on their side. Said Prototype was also considerably stronger than Siren was, which created complications.

He knew that as long as Ares was alive, killing and consuming the Evolved would have to be done very quickly and efficiently. If Ares showed up before Siren was ready to fight him, they'd only have to retreat again.

_We need to get more organized. Lure the Evolved—one of them preferably—out into the open and away from the Infected. Scramble whatever communication devices they have, and prevent them from calling for help. Once we've got one isolated, picking him or her off should be simple. _

It was true; with Rika, Mikoto, and Kuroko supporting him in a fight, killing a lone Evolved wouldn't be too difficult. The problem was locating them. Even with Mikoro acting as their eyes and ears, the Evolved were quick and hard to locate. Isolating one would present a problem of its own, but that bridge could be crossed when they came to it.

The others—Mikoto and Kuroko—were off resting and talking with Touma, Index, and Mikoro. Rika was unwillingly forced to follow, seeing as she had to stay by Kuroko's side to earn trust and so they had something they could use against the Super Soldier in case of betrayal.

Siren hadn't really felt like joining in on their conversations, preferring to return to what little comfort was in his life; solitude. Here he could think and plan without interruption—or without Index's constant questioning about when they'd have their next meal. Seriously, that had to be a medical condition of sorts.

Looking out the window, he had a decent view of the surrounding area. Roads that led up to the hospital had been mostly cleared to make room for people. Areas just inside the anti-Infected barrier had been barricaded with whatever Anti-Skill could find and spare, including but not limited to cars, empty supply crates, and even a semi-truck.

He still wondered how someone could have come up with an anti-Infected barrier. Something like this would have had to have either been the happiest accident of all time, or someone's deliberate attempt at stopping a force they already understood. Siren was willing to bet that the latter of the two was what the situation at hand was.

_But if that's the case, that means someone in Academy City—someone who clearly isn't working with the Evolved—understands what it is we're dealing with and how to fight it._

While that may have seemed like a good thing at first, it meant that there was a possibility that whoever it was, they might come after him too. For all he knew, this person, if they really knew about the viruses, could be bent on the destruction of all viral creatures.

_But what if they're not against me?_

He knew that in situations like these, hoping for the best would usually end in disappointment and even death due to poor preparation. It was better to assume and prepare for the worst. When one is prepared for the worst, handling anything better than the worst became a walk in the park.

_The point; don't expect help, but remember that there is someone out there who's playing their hand in this game._

If this was going to get better, Siren was positive it would first get worst. But then again, he was used to that. The problem was that he and the others needed an organized method of bringing about the "better" part of the issue.

_Alright, what are our strengths?_

He took a breath to help calm himself. "We've got Kuroko and Mikoto, both of which proved to be a massive help to us. Kuroko especially; she's become invaluable," he muttered to himself. "With Ares still out there, we need a constant escape route ready, but Kuroko eliminates the need with her teleporting abilities."

_On the other hand, she's likely to become a higher priority to the Evolved. They'll want her gone as fast as possible so that they can capture me._

It occurred to him that he was, essentially, having a conversation with himself, but at this point, he really didn't care.

_Mikoto's lightning is perfect for keeping the weaker Infected at bay; that'll help when we have to face down the Evolved and Ares. Perhaps even the Leader Hydra…But as the Evolved realize the threat she poses to their armies, they'll start hunting her down too._

He frowned. It seemed as though every action they were going to take in the future would only attract more attention to Kuroko and Mikoto.

_Mikoro's got her eyes on the cameras, so at least the Evolved don't know who is watching. Maybe she can get her hands on something to cut the Evolveds' communications?_

"I'll have to ask her about that if I don't forget," he said to himself.

_Touma and Index are…Touma and Index. They can't help much in this situation, but I can't blame them. They just don't have the right tools for the job. Accelerator simply vanished and—_

Siren's head snapped up.

_Oh shit. Did the Evolved get to him?! He might end up practically fueling their evolution! But then…wouldn't I have noticed a massive increase in strength from one of the Evolved? Or Ares? _

He shook his head.

_Too many unknowns. I have no way to figure out what happened to Accelerator…_

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of Siren, causing him to scramble backwards and fall out of his chair in surprise.

"What the—?! Kuroko?!"

"Siren," she began seriously. "The Leader Hydra; Mikoro's found it on the cameras. It's back."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Chase Scene: That was my first real attempt at writing a chase scene, and though I would hope I didn't do horrible, I think I need practice with those. If you have any advice, feel free to PM me or leave a review on how to improve. **


	28. Chapter 28

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**Well, I don't have much to say this time, so…enjoy and review!**

**Chapter 28**

**Surveillance **

"Mikoro," Siren began the moment Kuroko teleported the two of them into the room. "What's the situation?"

"The 'Leader Hydra', as you called it, is back," she replied without even taking her eyes off her screen. Touma, Index, Rika, and Mikoto were there too, watching the creature.

Siren walked over next to Touma, gently tapping the boy's side to get him to move over.

"It came out of the ground in this area—not sure what it's trying to do though," Mikoro explained. "It's been attacking any Infected in the area."

Siren frowned as he watched the Leader Hydra obliterate a large group of lesser Infected with a single swing of its gargantuan arms.

"Why is it attacking its own kind?" asked Rika. "The Hunters would occasionally grab and eat some of the lesser Infected, but this thing isn't eating them or anything like that; it's just killing them. Why?"

Siren shook his head. "I…I don't know. Whatever's driving this thing isn't hunger."

"Why would the Evolved bring something like that? Or create it here?" Touma asked from behind Siren.

"It could have been created by accident," Mikoto offered. "I don't know much about viruses, but I know they're unpredictable. What if the Evolved don't have _total_ control over their creations? This could be some escaped specimen that they never managed to tame."

Rika blinked. "You could be on to something there," she muttered.

"What if it isn't the Evolved's?" Index asked. Everybody, save for Siren, turned to the girl in surprise.

"What do you mean 'not the Evolved's?" Touma asked. "Isn't it logical to assume that this thing was made by mistake when they unleashed the virus?"

"Wait…she could be on to something," Kuroko began.

"It's not unreasonable," Rika offered.

"It might actually be likely," Siren said, catching everyone's attention. "Have you noticed its appearance? The rest of the Infected have skin tones that are usually between red and brown. This thing has that weird white-grey flesh. It's not much to go off of, but it could indicate a difference in origin. For all we know, that might not be the product of BLACKLIGHT or REDLIGHT."

Rika's eyes widened. "Don't you dare fucking tell me there's a third virus."

"Not that I know of, but I would hope not," he replied.

Mikoto sighed, leaning back against the wall of the room while shaking her head. "And the good news just keeps coming. What's next? The Evolved gain esper powers?"

"Guys, focus," Mikoro said while turning around. "If the Leader Hydra doesn't belong to the Evolved, who else—in the city or out of it—has the power to create and control something like that?"

"If it's not someone from Academy City, my money's on Blackwatch and Gentek, but I doubt they'd be allowed on Japanese soil—_especially _not with that thing," Rika commented.

"What about in the city? Does—"

"Evolved! On the camera!"Mikoto shouted, cutting Siren off. Everybody's attention instantly shifted to the screen where an Evolved—or possibly Ares—landed on a rooftop, watching the Leader Hydra.

"I think that's Laren," Siren began, squinting on the figure. "Mikoro, can you have the camera zoom in on the Evolved?"

It took Mikoro a second, but the camera zoomed in, showing the Evolved to indeed be Laren. He was watching the Leader Hydra with a frown while bringing a hand up to his head and placing something in his ear.

"That must be the communication device that they used to call Ares when we were underground," Rika observed.

"Mikoro can you increase the volume?" asked Kuroko.

Mikoro complied, but Laren's words were still difficult to make out. Siren bent forward, placing his ear but the computer's built-in speaker. Rika did the same, and while the two were uncomfortably close, they could hear Laren a little better.

"—down here—"

A pause.

"—Mercer's?...sure it's not you—"

"I can barely make out what he's saying," Rika mumbled.

"Same. This is pointless," Siren replied. The two stepped back, craning their necks. "There's too much noise and the camera is too far away to pick up any useful audio. We'll have to settle for what we can see."

"Better than nothing," Mikoto said with a shrug.

They continued watching, waiting to see if any were to happen. The Leader Hydra continued its rampage, but eventually, it began moving to a new area. It slithered along the ground, and Laren decided to follow it.

When they moved out of the camera's range, Mikoro switched to the next camera—one that had a good view of the action.

For several minutes, they continued like this, watching as the Leader Hydra attacked the other Infected, destroying everything it could. Laren followed it, but stayed out of its sight and kept a certain distance away.

Luckily, the Leader Hydra stayed within view of the cameras, allowing them to monitor it. However, anything can become boring after a time. And boring it became.

"I'm going to go get a drink," Touma said with a yawn. "You guys want anything?"

"Anti-Skill has emptied out the vending machines in the area and is basically in control of the food. It'll be too much trouble proving to the soldiers that you're actually bringing food to a group of this size," Siren said without taking his eyes off the screen.

Touma shrugged. "I'll find a water fountain or something."

As he left the room, Index got up and followed him, clearly bored with watching the Leader Hydra.

"You know, I expected him to make a move by now," Mikoto said suspiciously. "Why hasn't he tried anything?"

"Sometimes, it's smarter to follow an enemy rather than kill it. I doubt Laren can get anything from the Leader Hydra by consuming it—I don't think it's even possible to consume something so large on your own. Besides, even if he could consume it entirely, Infected minds rarely, if ever, give up actual memories. The virus tends to wipe them clean," Siren told her.

"He could be waiting for backup," Mikoro began. "From what I know, that Leader Hydra stood against, you, Clara, Mikoto, and Kuroko. Heck, even Rika got in on that battle you guys had not too long ago. It may not have won, but it's nowhere near death. Laren might think that it's too much for him to handle alone right now."

"That's possible," Rika commented. "But, until something happens, we won't know…"

"So…what? We just stay here and wait for something to happen?" Mikoto asked. "That sounds pretty lame."

"I'm sure it beats crawling around underground and running for your life," Mikoro said jokingly.

"Hey! We didn't run! We just…called a tactical retreat."

"You're right about one thing," Siren began with a small smirk on his face. "You didn't run. I had to carry you."

Kuroko growled from behind him in what he assumed to be envy.

Mikoto was glaring at him from her position. "No need to tell everyone. It's not my fault I can't sprint like you and Rika."

Siren was about to reply, but stopped when he heard a crash. Blinking, he turned towards the source of the noise.

"Did that come from the…air vent?" Rika asked.

"Sound tends to travel between these things. It's possible to hear someone coughing from another room if the sound moves through the air vent," Mikoro told her.

"Something's happening below us," Siren said with a frown.

Mikoto sighed. "That idiot must have dropped something. I'm pretty sure they give out food on the floor below us, so he's probably there now, and knowing him, he probably did something stupid."

"I'm going to check that out, just in case," Siren said as he made his way towards the door. "You guys stay here in case anything happens with Laren and the Leader Hydra."

_At least I get to take a break from watching Laren stalk that thing._

As Siren made his way out of the room, into the hallway, and down the stairs, he noticed that it seemed a little emptier than normal. In fact, outside of people who were physically incapable of walking at the time, the hallway was clear. Frowning, he continued on, knowing that not far ahead was a large, open room.

As he neared the room, he began hearing shouting. The first thought that crossed his mind was why they hadn't heard this upstairs. However, he pushed that thought aside. Fearing the worst, he increased his pace. He went from a walk, to a jog, then to a full sprint. Eventually, he reached the room he wanted to get to, just in time to watch Touma punch some other teen—one that looked to be a year or two older than Touma. Siren's hand met his face as soon as saw Touma.

_Of course. What did I expect? He probably watched this guy harass someone, stepped in, and is now fighting the moron._

He was surprised that Anti-Skill hadn't intervened yet, but he knew that if they saw him walking around, they might recognize him. They had seen his powers at work before, and it didn't take a genius to see the similarities between his powers and the Evolved.

Taking a step back, Siren made sure nobody was watching before turning around the corner. When he was sure the coast was clear, he quickly changed form. Now, he stood with the body of a younger, dark-haired boy. He checked himself over to make sure he hadn't made a mistake in assuming the boy's form. Once satisfied, he walked around the corner once more, only to roll his eyes as Touma slapped aside the other boy's attack.

It was obvious that Touma's opponent hadn't been in too many fights, what with the way he handled himself. Touma seemed to be picking him apart, and without much effort on his part. Siren leaned against the wall, standing in the shadows and watching the fight. As far as he could tell, he didn't need to step in. Touma was handling himself just fine, and Anti-Skill soldiers would probably run in any second to see what had everyone in such a panic. If, however, it became clear that Touma required assistance, Siren would step in.

People were watching the fight like some kind of wrestling match—or perhaps they were simply too tired to stop the two. Either way, he didn't really care. Neither Touma nor his opponent were espers or had any destructive powers, so there was no real reason to worry. Besides, even if the other guy had esper powers, Touma could cancel out any powers his unnamed opponent might try to use.

"We're in the middle of one of the darkest times we've ever had to face," Touma roared. "And you're threatening people to give you what little food they have?!" He finished his outburst by dodging a sloppy kick from the other teen and retaliating with a quick jab to the teen's cheek.

"These people are weak, they're hungry, they're _desperate_. Anti-Skill is busy preparing patrols to try and gather food from the city, and you're trying to force these hungry people to give up their meals even when you've already had yours?!"

The other teen simply growled and rubbed his cheek. "Screw you," he growled. Siren rolled his eyes at the display.

_At least I know why Anti-Skill hasn't stepped in yet. Of all times to get into a fight, he jumps into one when they're busy._

Touma stepped back, fists raised as he prepared to attack again. Unfortunately for him, the other teen sprang forward before Touma could. To his credit, Touma dodged the attack, though it was clear he was unprepared. Before the other teen could regain his balance, Touma slammed his knee into the boy's stomach, causing him to drop to the floor, gasping.

Touma stood over him in his moment of victory, watching as the boy dragged himself to his feet. Unfortunately, his moment didn't last very long because it was at that moment that Anti-Skill troops _finally_ walked in on the scene.

"You two! On the floor!" shouted one of the soldiers while pointing at Touma, who replied with an ever so clever 'huh'.

"I said _on the floor_!"

Touma and the other boy obeyed, and the moment they were down, the two Anti-Skill troops searched them before turning to the man who seemed to be the leader of the group. "No weapons."

The man sighed in relief at the words. "Good. For a second, I thought we had armed civilians going at each other's throats. Now then," he said while turning to Touma and the other boy. "We're going to have a little chat about what happened here. We'll have some guys ask the people here what—"

"Excuse me, sir," Siren called out, stepping forward. "The boy right there—the one with the black spiked hair—he was trying to stop this scoundrel here from stealing food from these poor people," he said in a voice that was absolutely nothing like his own.

_Oh gosh this voice is disgusting._

The Anti-Skill squad leader looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Ask the other people here," Siren said with a shrug. He knew Touma wasn't the type to get into a fight just for the heck of it, so when Touma said he was stopping someone from robbing people of their food, Siren would believe him.

"That guy's telling the truth," a said a woman off to his right. "That creep over there," she began, pointing to the boy Touma was fighting. "He was trying to steal food from people who were still eating!"

For the next minute or so, people began calling out, proclaiming Touma's innocence and the other boy's guilt. Siren leaned back, holding in an amused smirk as the boy made a futile attempt at escape, only to be stopped as the Anti-Skill soldier next to him pinned him down again.

"Alright, alright, we get it!" the squad leader yelled before turning to the troops that held down Touma and the other boy. "Let that kid go," he said, gesturing to Touma. "But the other one's coming with us."

The soldier holing Touma down stood up and helped Touma to his feet, while the other soldier dragged the other boy to his feet and began walking towards his leader. "Let's go talk about how our system works here, shall we?" he hissed to the frightened boy.

"Hey," called the squad leader, grabbing Touma's attention. "Good work kid."

Touma grinned and saluted the man, an action that caused Siren to roll his eyes. As the Anti-Skill soldiers left, Touma began turning around, probably looking for Index. As soon as Touma's eyes passed over him, Siren raised his hands and waved the boy over. Under normal circumstances, Siren would have advised Touma to not to run up to a stranger that was waving him over, but right now, he hoped the body would come over.

Luckily for him, Touma walked right over, a smile plastered on his face. "Hey, thanks for sticking up for me back there…uh, I don't know your name."

"Siren."

"Huh, that's weird. I have a friend named Siren. He's a pretty weird guy, but he's ok. To be honest though, I think he's pretty cold."

Siren stared at the boy in confusion, wondering if he was joking before he realized that Touma _honestly_ thought that he was just another person with the name Siren.

"Touma, it's _me_," Siren growled in his regular voice. Touma blinked in surprise and confusion.

"Siren?"

Siren responded by simply grabbing Touma and dragging the boy around the corner. When they were out of sight, Siren assumed his usual form, crossing his arms as Touma's face paled.

"Heh heh, you know that whole thing about you being weird? That was totally a uh, a joke, you know? I uh—I'm screwed, aren't I?"

"No. I'm not like Mikoto; I don't punch someone because they call me weird. And I'm not a tsundere."

"Wait, what?"

Siren shook his head. "Forget it. Where's Index?"

Touma opened his mouth but quickly closed it. "That's…a good question."

Siren rolled his eyes. "Let's go check anywhere where she'd find food that she can actually take. Let's hope she hasn't done something stupid like our friend from a few seconds ago."

***Page Break***

Kuroko yawned as she watched Laren follow the Leader Hydra. "This isn't nearly as exciting as one would expect of a zombie apocalypse," she muttered.

"Enjoy the peace while it lasts," Mikoro replied. "You never know; this entire situation might get infinitely worse, and if it does, you'll be out there with the others fighting the Evolved."

Kuroko nodded. "Yeah, I know that."

Besides Mikoro, Kuroko was the only one still paying attention to what was happening on the screen. Mikoto had actually fallen asleep and Rika currently sat by the wall, staring off into space with a bored expression on her face. Siren, Touma, and Index had yet to return, and Kuroko was starting to wish she had come along, especially when they heard shouting coming through the air vent. However, if she did that, Rika would have to follow, and it wasn't long before the shouting suddenly stopped.

Mikoro had paid attention to the screen this entire time and was looking quite sleepy. It occurred to Kuroko that Mikoro was probably one of the sleepiest of them all, what with having to stare at a screen for so long. Monitoring the cameras was something the girl did for most of the day, unlike Kuroko and the others who only watched for a little while with her.

Kuroko jumped slightly as Siren walked into the room, but Touma and Index were noticeably absent. "Where are the other two?" Kuroko asked. "What happened? We heard shouting."

"Touma got into a fight with some imbecile who was trying to steal food. Touma got off with a pat on the back for being a great citizen while the other guy went off with Anti-Skill. Touma's now getting Index some food and making sure she doesn't try to steal any. I stayed with them for a little while, but decided to come check up on you four. Any change?"

"Nope," said Mikoro, never taking her eyes off the screen. "Laren is still following the Leader Hydra. No other Evolved sighted in the area yet."

Siren frowned. "Either the Evolved were stopped by something along the way, or they're not coming to help him. He must be tailing the Leader Hydra to try and figure out where it came from or where it's going."

Kuroko frowned before turning back to the screen. She still didn't like the idea of someone else out there he was controlling the Infected, but at this point, there was little they could do without information, and Siren was their key to getting it, what with his ability to absorb memories from his enemies.

"Oh, in case you were wondering, the Leader Hydra has passed through close to sixty cameras since you left. Sooner or later, the Leader Hydra is going to slither into an area where there are no cameras for me to switch to, and then we'll lose Laren too," Mikoro added.

"Oh great; I forgot we're running off of limited cameras. Where's Mikoto—oh, never mind; I found her. Has she been asleep long?" asked Siren.

Kuroko shook her head. "No, Onee-sama fell asleep a little while ago."

Siren nodded before looking over Kuroko's shoulder at Mikoro. "Come to think of it," he began slowly. "When was the last time _you_ slept Mikoro?"

When the girl didn't answer, Siren walked over with a roll of his eyes. He tapped her shoulder to get her attention before turning her chair away from the screen. "Get some sleep," he said before frowning. "Your eyes are bloodshot."

The girl merely shook her head. "You guys are the ones out fighting; the least I can do is keep an eye on what's actually going on in the city."

"If you want to do this, at least make sure you're awake and alert enough to do it right," Siren replied. "What's the point of pushing yourself to work harder if you're only going to fall asleep at the computer? That could be disastrous during a mission where you're our eyes and ears."

Mikoro sighed. "Look, I'm _fine_. I haven't fallen asleep on the job yet—"

"So let's keep it that way," Siren interrupted. "Just go take a short nap to give your eyes a break. I'll watch Laren for now."

"But—"

"Mikoro, I said _I'll handle it_."

"Hey, just take a little break," Rika cut in. "If we ever get into a situation where Ares is coming and we're not ready to fight him, you'll most likely be the first person to see him. Unless you're asleep, that is."

Mikoro groaned. "Fine, I'll go take a break."

"Get some sleep; don't just go wandering around," Kuroko added. "Onee-sama seems to have the right idea."

When Mikoro moved, Siren sat down at the computer, leaning forward and interlocking his fingers beneath his chin. Unlike Mikoro, he was immune to ocular damage, so he could stare at the computer all day without sleep or without looking away. Unfortunately, while he could fill Mikoro's role, he wasn't much of a hacker, and if he was here, Mikoro would have to fill _his_ role, and they all knew that wouldn't work.

With the screen holding almost all his attention, he barely heard Mikoro close the door behind her as she left. Meanwhile, on the screen, Laren was still tailing the Leader Hydra, all while keeping a good distance away from it. Siren didn't know if that thing had eyes, or any sense of vision at all, but it seemed that Laren was far enough away to stay under the Leader Hydra's radar.

As the creature slipped out of the camera's field of view, Siren switched screens until he was looking through a new camera, watching as the Leader Hydra slithered into a new area and began battling the Infected. He had noticed that it seemed to prioritize the Hunters—except for one time when there was one of those Hammerfist creatures in its field of view. The fact that this creature could recognize the Hunters as a greater threat worried Siren. The Evolved were bad enough, but if the Infected began to actually _think_, the situation would spiral so far out of control that it would be next to impossible to hold off the Infected, the Evolved, and the other two Prototypes.

Siren was still unsure as to what to make of this creature's origins, but he was definitely curious. His first suspicion was that the one controlling the Leader Hydra was a rogue Evolved of sorts. However, he began wondering if the one controlling the Leader Hydra was even an Evolved. For all he knew, it could simply be a human with a deep, deep understanding of the viruses and how to control them.

He shook his head. Either way, he needed to know. The last thing he needed was to finish off the Evolved and Ares, only to find that he had played right into the hands of someone else that was hiding in the shadows, waiting to pick off whoever survived the Evolved.

But if even the Evolved weren't sure where the Leader Hydra came from, how was he supposed to find the answer?

***Page Break***

Mikoto woke to the feeling of something leaning on her right shoulder. She yawned loudly, looking around and trying to figure out where she was. It took a few seconds for her to remember that she was in a room along with some of her friends and…she had drool all over her chin.

She furiously wiped her face, attempting to look at least a little presentable. She was about to stand up before she felt whatever it was that was leaning on her fall forward and into her lap. Looking down, she froze as she noticed Kuroko, sleeping like a rock in her lap.

"Can you two find a room—_another _room?" Siren asked while Rika snickered.

Mikoto blushed furiously before shoving Kuroko off her lap and springing to her feet. Kuroko's head hit the floor and the girl woke with a loud snort. "Huh? Whas happanin?"

"Kuroko!" Mikoto hissed. "What on Earth were you doing?"

Kuroko squinted at her before yawning. "Sleeping. Why'd you have to wake up, Onee-sama?"

"You don't sleep _on your friend_!"

Rika's snickering was growing louder by the second, and Mikoto could practically _hear_ the amused smirk spreading across Siren's face. "Perverts," he began. "Doing such lewd things in public."

"I am not a pervert!" Mikoto shouted before pointing at Kuroko. "She is!"

Siren rolled his eyes. "Of course she is. We all figured that out a long time ago, Mikoto."

She knew he was mocking her. If she had to guess, she'd say that Siren was still unhappy with her calling him a pervert when they had met.

_Funny, it feels like it's been ages. _

She was pulled from her thoughts by Kuroko's voice. "Onee-sama, just go back to sleep," she whined. "I was so comfy!"

"Ugh! Stop saying that! You make it sound way too—uh…intimate," Mikoto muttered.

Rika snorted. "You two really do need to get a room. Just, not this one please."

"Oh shut up," Mikoto retorted.

"I don't know Onee-sama," Kuroko purred. "She might be right…"

"Don't you even start Kuroko! We're not having this conversation!" Mikoto shouted.

"Girls, girls, you're both unattractive; let's move on," Siren muttered from his seat. Mikoto glared at him the moment the words left his mouth. "You don't know how to talk to girls, do you?"

He shrugged, his eyes still glues to the screen. "I've consumed spies before—some of which make James Bond look shy what with the way they talk to women."

"Wait, you've—"

"Aw, _damn it_," Siren hissed, slamming his hand against the table the computer sat on. Rika, Kuroko, and Mikoto jumped at his outburst, just before they ran over to the computer. "What, what's wrong?!" Rika asked.

"They're out of range. The Leader Hydra just moved past the last camera into an area where we haven't set up any cameras. There's no camera that I can switch to that will show us where Laren and the Leader Hydra went to. "

Rika frowned. "Great. We sat here for so long and nothing happened. What a waste of time."

"We could go there ourselves. You know, follow Laren while he follows the Leader Hydra," Mikoto offered.

"We could," Siren said slowly. "It's a lot less safe than watching from the cameras, but it would still work." He sighed in annoyance. "And here I was hoping that just maybe we'll be able to see everything without having to get up close and personal."

"Eh, it's not too bad. A little action is good for you every once in a while," Rika said with a shrug.

"Wait, but nobody's watching the cameras for signs of danger," Kuroko cut in. "Mikoro's sleeping, and I don't think the others know how to work this thing."

"And with that idiot's luck, he'll probably end up destroying the computer by accidently throwing it out the window because it caught on fire or something," Mikoto mumbled.

"Hey…Kuroko, do you think you could go alone?" Rika asked. Siren immediately narrowed his eyes. "No," he said firmly, not giving anyone a chance to speak.

"Wait, Rika's right. I could go alone and follow this Laren guy on my own. Besides, if anything goes wrong, I can just teleport back here," said Kuroko.

"Yes, but if you're not here to teleport Rika to the edge of the barrier in case something goes wrong, the only people who can keep her in check here are Mikoto and I. Unfortunately, we can't fight her here without the risk of destroying the hospital," Siren told her.

Rika threw her hands up in the air. "Are you kidding me?! You still think I'm going to try something?!"

Siren turned to her. "I've got memories of people who spent over a month getting to know someone before stabbing them in the back when they're not looking."

Rika opened her mouth but closed it, realizing that Siren wasn't going to be flexible here. "Why not take me with her then?" the girl asked.

Siren frowned, but before he could respond, Mikoto began nodding. "That could work," she started. "Rika's fast and can keep up while Kuroko is able to teleport. Together, they can keep tabs on Laren. On top of that, if Rika decides to run, she's not doing any real harm. Remember, we promised her the right to leave whenever she wants."

Siren blinked. "That's…surprisingly logical coming from you."

"Hey!"

"Kuroko," he said while turning to her. "Would you be ok with—"

Kuroko was already nodding. "Watch the cameras for any signs of Ares or something that's really dangerous. Rika and I can follow this Laren chump and see what he's up to. Or what he leads us to."

Siren hesitated before answering. "Alright, but stay close to each other. If you need to make a quick exit, the time it takes you to find each other could be the difference between life and death."

Kuroko nodded and moved to grab Rika, but Siren stopped her. "Kuroko, Rika," he called, getting their attention. "If the situation gets too intense, don't try to interfere, just get out of there. And…if you know you're beaten, no matter what you do, don't let anyone consume you. If you have to," he began with a serious expression. "Finish yourselves before the Evolved can consume you."

Kuroko's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

Siren nodded. "If you know you're about to die, and you know you can't escape, try to find a way to end yourself before the Evolved get the chance to consume you. A dead body is next to useless to them, but your memories and DNA are valuable. No matter what, _you_ _can't let them consume you_," he finished, putting emphasis on the last part.

It took a moment for his instructions to set in. The others had never really considered being forced to do something like that, but in the hands of the Evolved, their memories and DNA would only add to the power the Evolved already had.

_If they're outmatched and beaten with no way to escape, ending one's own life would be for the greater good. That's a fact they'll just have to accept. _

The others stared at him in silence before Kuroko nodded slowly. "Only as a last resort," she said quietly.

"Only as a last resort," Siren echoed in confirmation.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Slow Chapter: I know this chapter wasn't all that action-packed, and I apologize if you were hoping for a massive showdown, but that'll come later on. **


	29. Chapter 29

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**RESPONSE TO THE GUEST: Hey there, thanks for the review. Anyway, sorry that my last answer disappointed. Now then, on to your newest questions: For your first question; no, chapters don't indicate any set passing of time (if they do, you'll know). Two; I don't currently plan on having Touma get any viral powers, but that doesn't mean it's impossible (it's just really, **_**really**_** unlikely). Finally, no, I don't plan on including dragons. **

**Chapter 29**

**Follow the Leader**

Kuroko slowly peered around the corner, eyes narrowing as she focused on Laren. Rika leaned outward a little further to look over Kuroko's shoulder as they watched Laren. The Evolved currently stood on the roof of a building that was across the street from them, while the Leader Hydra—which was still shredding the Infected—was down the street from them, a good distance away.

So far, Kuroko and Rika had been staying on the ground for the most part, hoping to make themselves harder to spot. The Leader Hydra had attracted the attention of most of the Infected in this area, so the streets were pretty clear. However, the minute they moved to a new area, the two girls knew they'd have to go to the rooftops; the streets would be swarming with Infected wherever they went until the Leader Hydra attracted them or cleared them out, but for now, they were in the clear.

"Do you remember how long it took the Leader Hydra to clear an area?" Rika asked.

Kuroko shook her head. "We might be in this spot for the next hour for all we know, or we could only be here for another few minutes."

Rika quietly groaned from behind Kuroko.

From his position on the rooftop, Laren was shifting his weight from one foot to the other, swaying side to side. Kuroko assumed the Evolved was probably as bored as they were, but unlike them, he couldn't just teleport away at the first sign of trouble.

It was several minutes before the Leader Hydra finally began moving again, and the moment it did, Laren took off after it like a madman. Kuroko grabbed Rika and the two teleported to the rooftop where Laren had been standing. Once they were sure he wasn't looking, the two teleported to the next rooftop.

They stopped and dropped down when Laren suddenly stopped and turned. The two had figured that on the rooftops, their best bet was to play dead and hope that Laren would assume they were corpses. Teleporting away would have obviously been safer, but the second it took for Kuroko to concentrate would probably be more than enough time for the Evolved to spot them, and if he did, there was a good chance he'd abandon whatever operation he was on. They'd still follow the Leader Hydra, with or without Laren, but with the Evolved and the Leader Hydra in one place, they might be able to learn more.

Kuroko slowly glanced up from her position on the rooftop, immediately locating Laren. He wasn't actually looking at them—rather, he was staring off to his right. His head snapped back to the Leader Hydra as the creature smacked aside a charging Hunter.

The two girls slowly rose to their feet and teleported to a different rooftop. Now they had a view of both Laren and the Leader Hydra while still remaining out of sight.

"I seriously wish Siren would stop being such a dick about this," Rika growled. "I've fought alongside you guys and it's obvious the Evolved hate me. There's no reason to force me to go everywhere with you."

Kuroko shrugged as the two crouched. "We're facing people who could eat your parents and take their place and you'd never know the difference. He's being careful, which is usually a good thing."

"There's a fine line between cautious and downright paranoid," Rika mumbled.

Kuroko snorted. "I'd say he's the latter."

The two watched as Laren observed the Leader Hydra's movements. They hadn't seen him speak to anyone yet, but they assumed he was keeping in contact with the others. Down on the streets below, the Leader Hydra was obliterating any Infected that it could find.

Kuroko frowned as she watched.

_It's done nothing but attack the Infected and the Evolved. Why? Could there really be someone here who's trying to stop the Evolved? But if that was the case, why attack Siren and Rika if they're both fighting against the Evolved? And why use something like this Leader Hydra thing to fight off the Infected? _

Few things made any sense about the Leader Hydra and its origins, so she had no way to draw any real conclusions. Suddenly, Rika's words echoed through her head.

"_Don't you dare fucking tell me there's a third virus."_

Kuroko's eyes widened and she turned to Rika. "Hey," she whispered, grabbing the other girl's attention. "Back at the hospital, you mentioned a third virus. Do you think that's possible?"

Rika narrowed her eyes. "That's just it; it _is_ possible. All the horror caused by BLACKLIGHT and REDLIGHT, and now there's a chance of a third virus. I hope that's not the case; I don't know if we can handle an outbreak of an entirely new virus."

Kuroko felt a shiver run down her spine. She had seen movies and read books that told stories of unstoppable viruses and hordes of zombies that blocked out the sun itself, but to actually _see _such abominations running around on the streets were she once walked was an entirely different experience.

There was something haunting about seeing one's favorite clothing store in a rundown shape with broken windows and corpses—moving and unmoving—scattered around it.

"Hey," Rika whispered. "He's starting to look around again; he might look this way. Be ready to hit the deck."

Kuroko nodded as Laren began scanning the area once more as if searching for something. It had been this same pattern for a while now; the Leader Hydra would move, Laren would follow it, watch it, and continuously search the area from his position. He never moved from the spot he chose unless the Leader Hydra did too, but other than that, he'd stay put.

Kuroko let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding when Laren stopped looking around and refocused on the Leader Hydra. Once more, Laren had failed to notice them.

The only trick was to make sure it stayed that way.

***Page Break***

He was being watched.

If he learned anything from spending so much time with the Evolved, it was that one should always watch his back. He could name a handful of other Evolved in the lower ranks that wanted him dead, so he had become accustomed to keeping an eye over his shoulder.

His instincts screamed at him to leave, but his mind told him that he still had a job to do. He'd periodically stop and search, trying to find whoever it was that could be following him, but so far, he had been unsuccessful.

He lacked the Infected Vision that the Prototypes possessed, and unfortunately, he also lacked their Thermal Vision. Without those two powers, finding someone was more difficult, but he wasn't one to complain. After all, it wasn't _his _race that was about to be driven to extinction.

Looking down, he frowned as the Leader Hydra—as Luke called it—continued tearing apart the Infected. He knew that Luke both despised and admired the creature for what it was. The other Evolved hated this creature because it had killed many of the Infected that his virus had spawned, but at the same time, he admired it for being such a killing machine.

Laren had no doubt that once they found were this creature had come from, Luke would make every attempt to gain the memories of its creators and replicate the Leader Hydra.

He jerked as the Leader Hydra began slithering forward again, running over what was left of the Infected it had attacked. Letting out a sigh, Laren jumped to the next building, making sure to stay a good distance away from the Leader Hydra. He hadn't seen any eyes on it, but that didn't mean the creature couldn't detect him.

He was here to observe, not to fight, so staying out of sight had become a necessity.

_And now, someone's following me._

When the Leader Hydra stopped, Laren took a position on a nearby rooftop, high above the creature's head. He began looking around again, searching for any signs of pursuers. Once again, he failed to notice anything out of the ordinary, but sometimes, he trusted his other senses more than his eyes.

Right now, his other senses told him he wasn't alone.

They were simple things; a strange sent in the air, a strange noise he didn't recognize, and other little things. He made every attempt to remain calm, hoping to fool his stalkers into becoming overconfident in their abilities to pass under his radar.

However, even if his mind told him to stay calm, his body was tense and prepared for combat—even if he didn't want to start anything right now. Fighting attracted attention, and he didn't need the Leader Hydra noticing him.

He kneeled on the edge of the rooftop, staring down at the Leader Hydra as it swatted the Infected aside like flies. The only things he had seen so far that could put up a decent fight were the Juggernaut Hunters—and even with their Hammerfists, they couldn't bring down the Leader Hydra before it could kill them.

Laren winced as a Hunter slammed into the building to his right, its bones—and the building wall—shattering upon impact from the force. The Leader Hydra took almost no notice in the creature it had just killed and continued attacking the other Infected.

Laren sighed in annoyance as he watched the Leader Hydra. While interesting at first, this creature's actions had quickly become repetitive and predictable. It would find a location, kill all the Infected, there, move one, and repeat. That was literally all there was to what it was doing. And unfortunately for him, he was the one who had to watch it.

_Come on you overgrown worm; just slither back to your master so we can end him—or her—and finish up in Academy City. We meet the Supreme Regurgitator's superior after capturing Mercer and I'd like that to happen sooner rather than later. _

Sadly, the Leader Hydra didn't move. At least, it didn't relocate. It was doing plenty of movement while it attacked the Infected, but other than that, there was nothing of importance.

Laren tensed when a familiar feeling crept over him. The feeling of being watched.

Slowly rising, he began craning his neck, trying to find whoever it was that was watching him without actually letting them know he was on to them. If he could find them, he might be able to lead them into a position in which he could attack them with the element of surprise at his back. However, he knew that suddenly walking into a building would make his pursuers suspicious, so he'd have to settle on leading them to a rooftop where he could attack quickly and from behind cover.

Movement caught his eye, and Laren turned down to the Leader Hydra as it began slithering off to a new position. However, the creature hadn't gone straight like it usually did. Instead of moving forward, the Leader Hydra turned to its right and set off in that direction.

Laren frowned.

_This seems new. It usually goes straight; what could have changed?_

Laren jumped from the rooftop, making his way across building as he kept up with the Leader Hydra. Once more, the massive creature stopped in a new area and began attacking Infected.

A loud slap echoed throughout the area as Laren's palm met his face.

_Great. Now I can watch this all over again. How lovely. _

***Page Break***

Siren leaned back in his chair, sighing in boredom. One minute, he's escaping from some underground lair, and the next, he's on guard duty. Such an extreme change can lead to boredom quite quickly, especially since he didn't need much time to recover from what most would consider a physically exhausting situation.

Despite his mood, he kept his eyes on the cameras and his hands on the keyboard and mouse. No matter how uneventful things got, Kuroko and Rika would need to be warned if someone was approaching, and with Mikoro resting, the task fell to him.

"See anything?"

And Mikoto.

"No Mikoto, I haven't seen anything. If I did, I would have called Kuroko," Siren replied.

"Oh."

Switching to another camera, Siren quickly scanned the scene presented to him. Once satisfied that nothing was out of the ordinary, he switched to the next camera, repeating the process. It had been like this ever since Kuroko and Rika had left to follow Laren.

In the back of his mind, he knew that forcing Rika to accompany Kuroko wasn't kind, but it was necessary. If Rika were to turn on them, the safest way to subdue her without causing collateral damage was to get her just outside the barrier that guarded the hospital. The only person who could do that before any damage was done was Kuroko.

He understood why the others were less than happy with his choice, but as he had told them, he had the memories of people who had spent many weeks getting to know their victims before killing them. He had to remind himself on more than one occasion that the others were essentially children. He, on the other hand, possessed enough memories to be considered an old man. A very, very old man.

He could only imagine how many years worth of memory he'd have once consuming the Evolved and Ares. The thought excited him.

Mikoto jumped slightly as the door opened and Touma walked in with Index trailing behind him. "Hey guys," he called out in a depressed tone. "Where's Kuroko? And that Rika girl?"

"Following Laren," Siren answered without hesitation.

"Oh, I—wait what?!" Touma shouted.

"The Leader Hydra and Laren got out of range of the cameras. Rika and Kuroko went to follow him while Siren and I are keeping an eye on the cameras," Mikoto told him.

"Uh, ok, but, where's Mikoro?" asked the boy.

"Resting—she needed it," Siren explained. "So, why the depressed tone of voice?"

Touma sighed from behind him. Siren could see the boy's face, but he assumed it wasn't a happy one. "Index has been asking for more and more food, but Anti-Skill is having everyone wait. There most recent attempt to get food wasn't successful. One of the squads they sent out mysteriously vanished without a trace."

Siren blinked. "And you know this…how?"

"I overheard them while searching for food," Index chirped. "Those guys don't like it when you sneak behind their backs."

"Really?" Mikoto asked sarcastically. "What a surprise."

"You're not worried about this?" Touma asked, clearly surprised. "I thought you'd totally lose your head like you usually do."

"What?! I don't lose my head all the time!" Mikoto shouted. "Besides, nobody said I wasn't worried about the missing soldiers. The thing is, I can guess what happened to them."

"Probably mauled by Infected," Siren finished.

"Yeah," said Mikoto, her tone now as depressed as Touma's was a moment ago. "Unfortunately, that kind of thing has become a little bit too…regular."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Touma. "Still, it's pretty weird; Index said the soldiers were saying that they lost contact with the entire squad in less than a minute."

"These soldiers need to learn to keep their information to themselves; you never know who's listening," Siren muttered.

"Eh, Index has a way of getting into places where you'd least expect her," Touma said with a shrug. "So, anything interesting show up on the cameras?"

Siren shook his head. "Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it—everything's been calm so far." He switched to a different camera as he finished the sentence, quickly repeating the familiar process of scanning the area and moving on.

"That's good," said Touma.

An awkward silence settled in as Touma finished his statement. Siren kept his eyes glued to the screen, but he guessed that Touma and Mikoto were glancing at each other in an attempt to try and continue the conversation.

It was then that he noticed a truck casually driving down the street. Eyes widening, Siren leaned forward. "What the heck?"

Immediately, Mikoto, Index, and Touma were behind him, looking over his shoulders at the screen.

"A…truck?" Mikoto asked.

Siren pointed at the screen. "Look, the Infected are moving out of its way." Sure enough, as the truck moved along the street, the Infected that were still in the area—those that either hadn't attacked the Leader Hydra earlier or had only recently showed up—were moving aside, allowing the truck to pass through unharmed.

"Yeah, but why?" Touma asked.

"There must be an Evolved in the truck," Mikoto breathed. "But why would one of the Evolved need a truck? They can jump across buildings and fly!"

"Glide," Siren corrected. "The Evolved and I are capable of gliding, not flying."

"Whatever! You know what I'm getting at!"

Siren nodded. "I do, and I'm just as confused. What would the Evolved—or Ares—need with a truck?" Nobody in the room seemed to have an answer to that question as they watched the truck drive down the road. It wasn't rushing, but neither was it going slowly.

"I'm going to alert Kuroko," Siren told the others. Quickly grabbing his phone, he began calling Kuroko. As soon as the call was one its way, he turned back to the screen, watching the truck along with the others.

"Yes?" Kuroko hissed.

"Kuroko, there's some kind of a box truck driving around by the cameras. We're pretty sure it's an Evolved that's behind the wheel, but they're not coming your way."

He could practically hear Kuroko's confused expression. "A…truck?"

"Yes, a truck. This is your call; you can stay or you can get out of there. If you want to stay, I'll notify you if the truck comes your way."

Kuroko hesitated. "I…let me ask Rika." For a few seconds, everything was silent—at least, Siren couldn't hear anything from Kuroko. Then, he heard a muffled sound and her voice came through once more. "We'll stay. Just tell us if the truck heads our way so we can get out of here."

"Got it," Siren said while nodding. "Keep your eyes peeled." With that, he hung up and returned all his attention to the truck. For a few seconds, he and the others watched in silence. However, Siren soon realized that they were doing something wrong.

He frantically began switching between the cameras, scanning over everything he saw until he had checked every camera in the area closest to Kuroko's location.

"What are you doing?" asked Mikoto as he switched to a camera with a view of the truck.

"If we focus entirely on the truck, we won't be able to spot other incoming threats. We need to keep an eye on more than one camera. For all we know, the truck could be a distraction."

Mikoto's eyes widened. "Wait, what if it really is?"

Siren shrugged. "We have no way of knowing. The best thing to do would have been to get Kuroko and Rika out of there, but they want to stay. The second best thing to do—that I can think of—is to monitor as many cameras as we can."

As soon as he said that, he began switching between the cameras again, searching for any signs of—

"What the—?!"

"Oh crap!"

"I don't get it."

"Food?"

"Shit," Siren swore, reaching for his phone. The Leader Hydra; it was coming _back_. If that was the case, Laren was following it, and that meant Kuroko and Rika were following him. Unfortunately…

"Kuroko," Siren hissed as soon as she picked up. "The Leader Hydra is back in our view; you guys are headed straight for the truck!"

"We are?" she asked.

"Yes! Either get out or take cover before there's a fight!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down! What fight? You're not making any sense!"

"If the Leader Hydra keeps moving, it'll block the truck. If there's an Evolved driving that thing, it'll result in a fight, and you two might be spotted. Like I said before, either get our or take cover."

Kuroko hesitated before speaking. "If a fight takes place, will you guys see it through the cameras?"

"If all goes as I suspect, we should have a decent view. Not the best view, but a decent one."

Once more, Kuroko hesitated. "Alright, we'll leave. Make sure nobody is standing by the door. We'll teleport there in a few seconds."

"Right."

As Siren hung up, he checked to make sure nobody was by the door. Luckily, there wasn't.

"Oh! I think I got it! The Leader Hydra was going to run into the truck!" Touma exclaimed, finally catching on.

Siren found himself sighing and shaking his head.

***Page Break***

Luke hummed a low, eerie song as he drove. Behind him, he could hear the sound of his…cargo, moving around. Honestly, he hated the fact that they were so fragile at the moment. Because of their frailty, it was impossible to transport them through the use of the Hunters, hence, why he was resorting to using a truck.

It disgusted him, how weak these creatures were. The sooner he gave them a push in the right direction, the sooner they'd have Mercer and be back home. All he needed was time. He knew he could do it; he knew he could give them new life, make them _more_.

Mercer may have destroyed some of the Hunters he was working on, but a few dead specimens never stopped him. No, he would not be discouraged by the loss of a few new Hunters. With new subjects to work on, he'd finish what he started and—

"Luke!"

Luke blinked as he realized Laren was communicating with him through their ear pieces. Reaching up with his hand, he pressed a button on the device. "Yes?"

"The Leader Hydra is coming! I can see the truck you're in from here! You've only got a few seconds before the Leader Hydra—"

He was cut off by the deafening roar of the beast. Startled, Luke's head snapped to his left as he stared out the window. There, not too far from him, was the rampaging Leader Hydra, making its way toward him.

Three thoughts crossed Luke's mind. The first was that he'd have a chance to get a closer look at the Hydra and study it. The second was that he needed to protect his cargo. The third was…

_Oh shit._

He wasn't sure if the creature had seen him yet, but the distance between them was still great enough for Luke to react.

Thinking quickly, he jumped out of the truck as fast as he could, grabbing the vehicle. The moment he spotted an ideal spot to drop off the truck, he jumped toward it.

Landing by another building, Luke sprinted up the wall, the truck still in his hands. As soon as he reached the rooftop—which wasn't very high off the ground at all—he dropped the truck and turned around. Quickly spotting the Leader Hydra, he noticed Laren trailing a distance behind it, hopping across rooftops. Bringing his hand to his ear, Luke contacted his fellow Evolved.

"There are two of us right now; we should try to capture it."

"I was told to follow it, not capture it. We won't know who sent it if we kill it."

Luke rolled his eyes. "_Fine_, but let's try to subdue it for a time so I can study it a bit, maybe get a DNA sample."

"You want to _subdue _it? How on Earth are we supposed to do that without killing it?"

"Anything can be beaten into submission. Injure any living thing beyond its limits and it'll roll over and submit," said Luke, a smirk forming on his face. "All we have to do is find the most efficient way to damage it."

He heard Luke sigh. "Sometimes, you're as bad as Clara."

"Tch! Clara's addicted to pain, disobeys orders, and sometimes allows her emotions to be the driving force behind her actions. I, on the other hand, simply wish to learn as much as I can about, well, _everything_. 'Everything' includes this Leader Hydra."

"I'll ask the Supreme Regurgitator for permission."

Luke sighed. Sometimes, he found Laren's loyalty and commitment to the Prototype to be a bit annoying. What was slightly more annoying was that he couldn't argue. Not unless he wanted to be killed. He—and everyone he knew—were well aware that Ares was the superior fighter.

Most of the time, the Prototype's commands made perfect sense to him, but when they didn't, he'd react like any other person would.

He'd be annoyed that he was doing something that made no sense to him.

The roar of the Leader Hydra pulled Luke out of his thoughts. Snapping back to reality, he threw a final glance over his shoulder, just to make sure the truck was safe and secure. Satisfied that he could move on, he turned to face the Leader Hydra. It was still a good distance from him, so he had time to call in some backup to watch over his cargo.

Grunting from the effort, Luke doubled over, a red mist rising from his body. Abruptly, he jerked up, roaring to the sky as the red mist exploded around him. Satisfied, he leaned against the truck, waiting for his—there they were.

Hopping over building rooftops, some of his favorite creations were moving as fast as they could to reach their creator. From here, one could mistake them for Evolved or Prototypes, and while that was a good thing—intimidation was a powerful thing—these creatures simply weren't as advanced as the Evolved or the Prototypes.

The only reason they were able to get here so fast was because Laren had ordered them to follow him from a distance, just to make sure nobody else decided to follow him.

It took several seconds, but eventually, the first of them landed on the rooftop. Standing before him was a humanoid Infected that was probably as close to 'sapient' as one could get. Its body had decayed, but not nearly as much as some of the lesser Infected. Hollow, white eyes stared at him from a bony face with skin that was so thin it was almost transparent.

The easiest way to describe these creatures would be to say that they were lesser Infected with the powers of an Evolved; the ability to shape shift.

They couldn't do anything advanced like taking the form of something they've consumed, but they could change their bodies into basic weapons, much like the Evolved could. However, the first thing one would notice about these Infected—their powers could only be seen when they displayed them—was the shape they were in. While lesser Infected looked like their bodies had melted in some areas and swollen in others, these Infected looked almost human. Of course, they were a little decayed in some areas—the occasional missing finger, a protruding piece of bone—but for the most part, they were intact. That is, if one could ignore the fact that they were incredibly skinny and looked as though they had been starving for weeks.

Within a few seconds, a total of seven of his favorite Infected had landed on his rooftop. Pointing a finger at the truck, Luke issues a mental command that told the Infected everything they needed to know.

_Protect._

And with that, he launched himself into the air, gliding towards the Leader Hydra as it slaughtered the Infected down below. Laren wasn't far behind it, and since he hadn't called Luke to inform him to back off, Luke could only guess that—

"We're good to go. Just don't kill it," Laren's voice echoed in his ear.

Luke grinned.

_Just as I thought._

With his Claws already forming on his arms, Luke dashed forward, jumping over cars and anything else that got in his way. Luckily, the Infected were moving out of his way, making it easier to reach the Leader Hydra.

As he neared an overturned car, he flipped over it, digging his Claws into it as he passed over. When he landed on his feet again, the car was in his hands and he held it over his head. He did all this in one, fluid motion, evidence of both practice and talent.

Or perhaps all Evolved inherited the mobility of their creator, whoever that may be.

_The sooner we get Mercer, the sooner we find out._

Running for momentum, Luke threw the car as hard as he could, watching as it connected with the Leader Hydra's side. In terms of damage, it did next to none, doing little more than annoying the creature. However, it had done what he had intended; it got the Leader Hydra's attention.

Turning toward him, the Leader Hydra stood still for a moment before it began slithering forward. Luke smirked as he waited for the creature to near him. "Laren," he began, bringing his hand up and pushing a button on his earpiece. "I want to lead this thing into something explosive. Can you—"

"You know, we could just ask the Supreme Regurgitator to capture it,"

Luke blinked. "Wait, isn't he busy?"

"Doing what? Grevin and Clara are still looking for Mercer, you've been doing that little project of yours, I've been following the Leader Hydra; the only thing he could be doing that's of importance is looking for Mercer, and we all know how well _that's _going."

_Huh._

"Well, can you ask him? He seems to like you the best, so I assume he'll listen to you more than me," said Luke.

"Give me a minute."

Luke began sprinting toward the Leader Hydra, intent on distracting it until Ares arrived—if he came at all, that is. As he neared the beast, he launched himself to the side, planted his feet on a building, and kicked off into the air. Through this, he was able to jump over the Leader Hydra, well out of reach of its arms.

Unfortunately, that didn't mean that it didn't try to spear him with its tendrils. As Luke passed over it, dozens of tendrils shot from the creature's arms, heading straight for him. Spinning around, Luke fanned out his Claws and slapped aside the tendrils as they neared him.

With the attack deflected, he landed behind the Leader Hydra. The tendrils immediately redirected themselves, shooting towards him with the intent to kill. Jumping back, Luke watched as the tendrils slammed into the ground, burrowing deep into it. The Leader Hydra turned its body towards him, yanking its tendrils out of the ground.

Satisfied that he had its attention, Luke bent his knees, waiting to dodge whatever attack may be thrown at him. As he expected, the Leader Hydra fired more tendrils at him, which he dodged with little effort.

_Not the brightest of creatures. This thing's tough to kill, but easy to dodge. This might take some time._

Luke dove into a building as barrage of tendrils slammed into the ground where he was standing moments ago. Once inside, he quickly began making his way up, slamming through floors as he jumped up, level by level.

As he moved up, he became aware of the tendrils that came shooting through the windows to his right—the Leader Hydra couldn't see him, so it was attacking as much of the building as it could.

Before long, he tore through the roof, jumping out the top of the building. By now, the building had become unstable, and was leaning forward. In fact, it seemed as though it were about to collapse.

Craning his neck, Luke jumped from the building, twisting in the air as he plummeted to the ground. With red mist gathering around him and his body picking up speed, Luke felt the wind rushing past him as he came closer and closer to the Leader Hydra.

As soon as he neared it, he flipped forward, pointing his feet at the Leader Hydra. The moment he slammed into it, he felt the bones in his feet, legs, and midsection breaking from the immense force of the fall. Grunting in annoyance, he forcefully pumped biomass into his lower body, slightly speeding up his already insanely quick healing.

It took less than four seconds for his bones to return to their proper condition, and when they did, Luke flipped off the Leader Hydra, watching as the creature's bones began snapping back into place.

"Luke," Laren's voice echoed from his earpiece. "The Supreme Regurgitator is on his way."

"Finally," Luke mumbled. "What took so long?"

"I had to explain to him why he would care if we subdue the Leader Hydra or not. I basically explained your plan of extracting DNA to him."

"Got it. How long 'till he's here?"

"Should be a couple minutes."

Luke grinned. _Finally_, he was going to get a chance to pick the Leader Hydra's DNA apart. Finally, he would know what made it tick, and perhaps replicate it.

_Wouldn't that be nice? A small army of Leader Hydras to take over any city. I'm sure that would provide some entertainment. _

The only thing left was to actually subdue the Leader Hydra and get some DNA samples. However, subduing it wasn't his job, not anymore.

_Alright Hydra, it's time to see how you stack up against the second most powerful Infected to walk the Earth._

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Nothing much to explain as far as I can see. If you see anything in this chapter that you think needs explaining, tell me so I can add something here to clarify for future readers. **

** Next time, on A Certain Sapient Virus, Ares vs. the Leader Hydra (yay)!**


	30. Chapter 30

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a chapter that finally has some action. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 30**

**The Hydra and the Prototype**

Ares craned his neck as he walked up to Laren, who was currently standing in front of Luke's box truck, along with some of Luke's favorite Infected.

"Supreme Regurgitator," Laren said with a nod.

"Laren," Ares replied with a nod in return. "Why aren't you out there with Luke?"

Laren shrugged. "He wanted me to keep an eye on the truck along with his pets here. Didn't want his cargo going to waste."

Ares nodded. "Of course. The man is quite protective of his test subjects. Now then, I presume that Luke has been distracting the Leader Hydra."

Laren jerked his head towards the ground where Luke was dodging the Leader Hydra's tendril attacks. "Waiting on you."

"I guess it's time to see if this Hydra's as much trouble as it has made itself out to be," Ares said with a sigh. "Wait here."

With that, the Prototype stepped off the building, plummeting to the ground. The moment he touched the street, he sprang forward, catapulting himself into the air and gliding towards Luke.

Luke must have heard Ares approaching—evidenced by the fact that he turned to Ares as he approached. Ares landed with a soft thud next to Luke, who was grinning ear to ear now.

"Perfect! You're here! Now, I—"

"Heads up," Ares mumbled as he watched the Leader Hydra launch another set of tendrils at them. Luke blinked before rolling out of the way, easily avoiding the tendrils. Ares did the same, all while sending a glare at the Leader Hydra.

"Just get back and let me work," Ares called. "This'll go faster without anyone getting in the way."

Luke snorted. "Whatever."

Ares rolled his eyes before walking forward. Tentacles twisted around his arms, forming his signature power; Tendrils. His fingers twitched in anticipation as the Leader Hydra howled at him through the mouths on its hands.

Without warning, the Leader Hydra shot dozens of tendrils at him. Ares reacted by firing dozens of his own tendrils from his palms. The two attacks met midair, the tendrils slamming into each other and intertwining as both Infected attempted to push the other back.

Ares found himself blinking in surprise at the Leader Hydra's physical strength.

_Those tendrils of it might be a little more powerful than I had anticipated. Oh well._

Ares put a little more strength into his attack and watch with no small amount of satisfaction as the Leader Hydra's tendrils were pushed back. His own tendrils shot forward, slamming into the Leader Hydra and digging deep into its flesh.

The creature swayed in confusion at being hit with an attack so similar to its own. Ares jumped forward, sprinting towards the Leader Hydra as fast as he could. His eyes widened in surprise as a tendril shot out of the beast's left Hydra hand, slamming into his chest and pushing him back.

Ares blinked in surprise at being forced back, but he quickly recovered. Planting his hand on the ground, he used it to flip backwards. Spinning in the air, the Prototype managed to land on his feet with a loud crack as the street beneath him shattered.

He found himself smirking at the Leader Hydra's attack.

_This…might be more fun that I thought._

Another set of tendrils was launched at him. Ares dodged and retaliated by shooting out dozens of tendrils of his own, watching as the creature intercepted his attack with more tendrils.

_This is going nowhere fast. _

Ares pointed his arm to the right, shooing close to a dozen tendrils at a building. The tendrils struck the building and stuck to it, acting as an anchor. Ares jerked his arm slightly as he pulled himself to the wall by 'retracting' his tendrils.

In less than a second, he was out of harms' way, watching the Leader Hydra from a safer distance, analyzing its form and looking for any visible weaknesses. To his annoyance, he couldn't see anything that would indicate a weak spot.

It wasn't long before the Leader Hydra noticed him once more. Again, the Infected shot waves of tendrils at him, which he dodged by jumping off the wall of the building. Stretching out his leg, Ares aimed a kick at the Leader Hydra, even though he knew it wouldn't do much to harm it.

As expected, the Leader Hydra lifted its arm to block, seeing as he was in such close range. The moment the creature lifted its arm, Ares shifted in the air, aiming both legs at the arm. As soon as he hit the Leader Hydra's arm, he fired tendrils from his palms, allowing them to stick to the arm.

Bending his knees for more power, Ares kicked off the creature, sending himself flying backwards before using his tendrils to launch himself back at the Leader Hydra. He aimed himself straight at the creature's midsection. He snapped forward, detaching his tendrils from the Leader Hydra's arm and slamming into its midsection.

He had used this attack to knock helicopters from the sky, so he had experience with aiming accurately. The Leader Hydra was pushed off balance, its upper body swaying back and forth as it tried to maintain balance.

Ares landed on the ground, watching as the monster tried to regain balance. Before it could, he fired more tendrils at it, and repeated the attack, only this time, he aimed at its chest. He managed to connect before the giant could respond, and before he knew it, the Leader Hydra was completely disoriented.

It was during this moment of confidence that Ares became most vulnerable. And whether by some ironic twist of fate or by its own intelligence, the Leader Hydra chose that moment to attack. It swung an arm at an unprepared Ares, who grunted as he leapt into the air to avoid the attack. Unfortunately, the Leader Hydra grabbed him with its other arm, and Ares coughed as the immense physical strength of the Leader Hydra went to work crushing him in the mandibles on its hands.

Tendrils leapt from the limb that was currently crushing Ares, wrapping around the mandibles holding him and squeezing that much harder.

The Prototype grunted as he began spreading his limbs, forcing the Leader Hydra's mandibles to begin opening slowly. However, the Leader Hydra pushed back, still attempting to crush him.

_Not bad for something that we didn't even make. _

Ares jerked to his right, then to his left. Slowly, his left arm began to wiggle out of the Leader Hydra's crushing grip, and before long, it was free. Pointing his free hand at the Leader Hydra's chest, Ares fired several tendrils at the creature, watching with satisfaction as is leaned back from the force of his attack.

The crushing grip that held him in place loosened, and Ares jumped free, smirking as he eyed the Leader Hydra. While it was still trying to recover, he sent tendrils forward, watching as they stuck to two buildings in front of him. Swinging back, Ares used the momentum to launch himself forward, straight at the Leader Hydra.

He slammed into its midsection, grinning in satisfaction as he heard the sound of bones breaking. The Leader Hydra leaned back before flopping forward, the bones that held it up now completely destroyed.

Ares jumped out of the way just as the Leader Hydra fell, narrowly avoiding being crushed beneath its weight. He didn't even have time to land before he heard a strange sound from behind him.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he whirled around, eyes widening slightly as the Leader Hydra dragged itself upright, the bones he had just broken now snapping back into place.

Less than a second later, the Leader Hydra loomed over him in perfect fighting condition, letting out a ferocious shriek.

***Page Break***

Siren didn't know what interested him more; Ares' fight with the Leader Hydra, or the strange Infected that guarded the truck alongside Laren and Luke.

He had seen these Infected before, but he had never truly understood why they had actual shape shifting powers, rather than just increased strength. That reinforced the idea that whatever was in that truck was valuable to the Evolved; why else guard it with what looked like zombie Evolved?

_The question is; what's in the truck?_

His attention snapped back to Ares' fight with the Leader Hydra. The Prototype possessed a power that was almost identical to that of the Leader Hydra. Unfortunately, Ares had already proven that this unique power was more than just for show.

"Have you seen anything like that?" asked Mikoto. "That particular power, I mean. I've never seen you do anything like that, though."

"Besides Ares and that Leader Hydra, I've never seen someone walking around with that power," Siren answered. "How about you, Rika?"

The girl shook her head. "Never seen anything like that besides on those two," she replied, gesturing to the Leader Hydra and Ares.

Siren frowned but went back to watching Ares' fight. The Prototype seemed comfortable with dancing around the Leader Hydra's attacks, acting on whatever openings he saw. So far, a few things had been made obvious to Siren. For one, the Leader Hydra was powerful, but not the brightest of creatures. It couldn't think like Ares could, which gave the Prototype a massive advantage.

_At this rate, Ares will win. It's just a matter of time. _

If Siren had to guess, he's say that, in terms of physical strength, the Leader Hydra had Ares beaten. But, if the Leader Hydra wasn't smart enough to use that strength in the most effective way possible, Ares would just keep dodging and waiting for the best opportunities to strike.

…

Which was exactly what he was doing now.

***Page Break***

Ares used his Blade to cut through a set of tendrils that the Leader Hydra fired at him before whirling around and lashing out with his Whipfist. The ranged weapon cut into the Leader Hydra's right shoulder, embedding itself in the oddly-colored flesh.

Ares yanked himself forward, using the Whipfist like an anchor. This maneuver got him out of the way of another of the Leader Hydra's attacks. The creature's massive arm smashed into the spot he stood in moment after he had moved, kicking up debris in all directions.

Ares swung around the Leader Hydra, landing behind its back with his Whipfist still in its right shoulder. With a grunt, he yanked as hard as he could, throwing the Infected off balance. While it was still recovering and trying to straighten itself, Ares pointed his free hand at a building, activated his Tendrils power, and fired off several tendrils from his palm.

The tendrils sped toward the building, slamming into it and drilling through the floors. Ares pushed the tendrils through the building, slowly pushing it towards himself.

Within a few seconds, the entire structure was leaning towards him and the Leader Hydra. With a final push, the building was toppling over, heading straight for him and the massive Infected.

Detaching his Whipfist from its shoulder, Ares leapt back, watching as the building crumbled around the Leader Hydra, crushing it. His moment of victory was short lived, however, as the Leader Hydra soon broke through the debris that had fallen around and on top of it.

Ares frowned in annoyance at the creature's resilience. At the same time, he was excited; it wasn't often he met something that could keep up with him in a fight. The only two that had compared so far were the other two Prototypes.

_Well, to be fair, Mercer didn't put up much of a fight._

He was interrupted as the Leader Hydra shot more tendrils at him, probably hoping to knock him out of the air.

_It's never going to learn, is it?_

Quickly forming his Blade, Ares flipped forward, reaching out with his Blade and cutting through the tendrils before plummeting to the ground, the end of the Blade pointed at the Hydra.

More tendrils rushed up to block him, but his momentum, coupled with the Blade, allowed him to cut through all of them without losing speed. Before the Leader Hydra could move, Ares slammed his Blade into the spot where its head would have been, grunting as he put as much force behind the attack as he could. Slowly, the Blade began tearing through the Leader Hydra, creating a gash down the middle of its body. Ares jumped away to avoid cutting the Infected in two. However, his attack still left it badly damaged and weakened.

He landed on his feet, smirking as he watched his opponent struggling to get up. While the creature was powerful, it simply lacked the intelligence to beat him. As far as he could tell, this fight was over. All he had to do now was knock the Infected unconscious.

Leaning back, Ares allowed his arms to transform into Hammerfists. The moment his weapons were ready, he threw his fist forward, allowing his whole body to be flung towards the Leader Hydra. The creature was still struggling to get up, but before it could, Ares crashed into it with the full force of his Hammerfists.

Tendrils shot from his hands, impaling the creature and digging into the ground before erupting in a circle of spikes around the two. The Leader Hydra's struggling was reduced to small movements before the beast finally lay still.

Ares rose to his full height, staring down at his defeated opponent before reaching up to his earpiece. "Luke," he began. "Get down here. I've brought down the Hydra."

***Page Break***

Siren twitched as he stared at the screen. This was bad. Very bad.

_If they get the Leader Hydra's DNA, the Infected will only grow stronger. That's not good for any of us._

He swallowed as he thought about it.

_We could try stopping them. If we attack the truck and Ares at the same time, we might be able to distract them long enough to give the Leader Hydra a chance to get away. At the same time, we might be able to get whatever's in that truck._

"Hey," he heard Mikoto begin. "Call me crazy, but I think now might be a good chance to attack."

"Well, then we're both crazy because that's exactly what I was thinking," Kuroko muttered.

"Guess there's three crazy people in here then," Siren replied. "Now would actually be our best chance of distracting them long enough to get that truck and give the Leader Hydra a chance to take off."

Off to the side, Rika was nodding. "That Laren guy is guarding the truck along with those Infected, Luke's off to the Leader Hydra, and Ares is waiting for him there. This is as spread out as they'll get for now."

Siren grunted. "I don't like the idea of rushing in so suddenly, but the idea of more Leader Hydras—under the Evolveds' control no less—is even less desirable."

He looked to the others. "Are all three of you willing to go?"

He was treated to the sight of three heads nodding in confirmation.

"Alright," he began. "Kuroko and Mikoto; you two go for the truck. See if you can get away with it or at least distract Laren so he can't interfere. Rika and I will deal with Ares and Luke."

Rika let out a loud sigh. "Finally giving Kuroko a break from babysitting me?"

Siren frowned at her. "Only because when we're out there, collateral damage isn't an issue," he began before smirking. "That means I can fight you if you try something and not have to worry about destroying something important to us."

Rika glared at him before Kuroko clapped her hands together. "Alright, are we ready? Luke's almost made it to the Leader Hydra."

Siren nodded, followed by Rika and Mikoto repeating the action. "Try dropping Rika and I off as close to the Leader Hydra as you can so we can knock Ares down and attack Luke before he can respond. Oh, and be ready to get us out of there at a moment's notice."

Kuroko nodded and stepped forward, holding out her hand for the others to grab her. Mikoto placed her hand on Kuroko's, followed by Rika, and then Siren.

"Go Team Gekota," Mikoto whispered.

"Shut up," Siren hissed before Kuroko teleported. The three appeared on a rooftop not far from the Leader Hydra, and Siren and Rika immediately let go, stepping forward to the edge of the rooftop. Siren turned back and offered a nod to the two girls behind him before jumping off the edge, just before Rika.

All awareness of the presence of the two girls faded as he focused his attention on his immediate surroundings and his target; Ares. Siren and Rika wordlessly plummeted to the ground, both ready to attack at a moment's notice. The moment their feet hit the ground, it was on.

"NOW!"

Ares was alerted by both their landing and Siren's command. He turned around in surprise, but not before Rika and Siren were right in front of him. The Prototype barely had time to gasp before Siren and Rika both began throwing punches at unbelievable speeds.

Caught off guard, he didn't have time to block, and backpedaled as Siren and Rika reigned down blow after blow on him. Finally, both drew back their fists before throwing forth one final punch. Ares was thrown back with a grunt, tumbling across the street.

Siren would have wanted to rush after him with Rika and try to finish the job, but before they could do that, they noticed Luke descending upon them.

Siren and Rika both sprang up, intent on intercepting the Evolved.

"What the fu—?!"

Luke was cut off as Siren and Rika both slammed into him. The surprised Evolved let out a cough before Siren lifted both hands over his head and slammed the Evolved downward, sending him flying into the ground.

Siren dove after him, slamming into the Evolved's chest, causing him to cough up blood. Siren began to pummel the Evolved into the ground, tendrils reaching out of his body to try and consume him.

_Come on, come on, come on!_

Before he knew it, Rika slammed into him, sending both of them flying. At first, he thought that the girl had betrayed him, and immediately wanted to kill her. However, a good look at the battlefield told him that Ares had probably attacked her and sent her flying into him.

The two sprang to their feet as Ares approached them with a frown. "You know," he called. "I believe the proper term for what you just did would be a 'dick move'."

Luke walked over next to Ares, the two glaring at Siren and Rika.

"So…divide and conquer?" asked Rika.

"No," Siren hissed. "I've got a plan; just help me get Luke away from Ares."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "You're going to try and consume Luke with Ares right there?"

Siren grinned. "No, we're kidnapping him."

Rika didn't have time to ask what he meant before Ares and Luke charged. "Scatter!" roared Siren. Both he and Rika jumped away from each other, causing Ares to jump after Siren and Luke to take off after Rika.

Siren grunted as Ares slammed into him, sending him flying backwards. He flipped midair, aiming both feet at the ground and landing on his feet, less than a second before Ares was in front of him. Ares pulled back his fist with a grin and began throwing punches at Siren.

The younger Prototype began dodging, backpedaling as Ares attacked relentlessly. Ares' hands transformed into Hammerfists and he threw a single, powerful punch.

_Now!_

Siren twisted to the side and sprinted past Ares as he attacked. Ares glanced over his shoulder in surprise as Siren raced towards Rika and Luke.

"Luke!" Ares shouted. "Heads up!"

Luke turned just in time to see Siren grab him by the throat. Siren lifted the Evolved and slammed him into the ground, causing him to cough.

"Rika! Grab his arm!"

The girl, though confused, did as he said and grabbed Luke's right arm. Siren took hold of his left and began moving again. "Run!"

Rika, confused as ever, went a long, helping Siren carry Luke as the two began sprinting away from Ares. "What the?! Put me down you little—!" Luke interrupted himself as he began thrashing, but with both his arms being held, he couldn't do much damage to the two who carried him.

Siren activated his Musclemass, getting a better grip on Luke and making holding on to him easier, while Rika clutched Luke's other arm like her life depended on it.

"Let me fucking go!" roared the Evolved as he tried to kick Rika, but failed at reaching her.

"You want to explain to me what the hell it is we're doing?!" the girl shouted.

"Just keep moving! Ares will be following and we can't outrun him forever!"

"Just consume this moron!" Rika yelled over the sound of the Evolved's shouting.

"Can't! We have to weaken him, and with Ares following, we don't have the time!"

The moment he said that, he noticed Ares out of the corner of his eye. The Prototype was gaining, but he wouldn't catch up for a few more seconds.

_Wait for it._

Ares was closer.

_Not yet…_

He was closer.

_Just a little more._

Ares took six more steps before Siren reacted.

"Rika, let go!"

Rika did as he said, letting go of Luke's arm. The moment she did, the Evolved swung his fist around, aiming at Siren's head. Siren ducked and placed his weight on his back foot, his right hand shooting forward and wrapping around Luke's throat. He drew back said hand, still holding onto Luke. With a grunt, he threw the Evolved as hard as he could.

"The _fuck_ is wrong with—OOF!"

Luke grunted as he tumbled across the street. Before Siren could react, Ares slammed into him, tackling him to the ground. Before Ares could begin throwing punches however, Rika jumped into the air and dived at him, aiming both legs at his head. She crashed into the unaware Prototype, sending him stumbling off Siren.

The younger Prototype flipped backwards, shooting a look in the direction of the Leader Hydra.

It was gone.

"Rika, we're done here!"

The girl stared at him. "The fuck kind of plan is this?!"

"One that worked! We need to get back to Kuroko!" Siren shouted as he ran in the direction they had come from. He heard Rika running after him, and the two moved as fast as they could to outrun Ares.

"Hey," Rika began. "The Leader Hydra, it's—"

"Gone, yes. That was the point of distracting them like that; to give it time to escape!" Siren called over his shoulder while shooting a glance at Ares as he chased after them.

_He's far enough for me to try this._

Siren grunted tentacles began whirling around his body, making it difficult to run and see. In a flash, the tentacles shot forward and began taking shape. Rika had slowed down and watched in fascination as Siren regurgitated a Flyer.

The winged Infected immediately took off into the air and Siren jumped after it, latching on to its leg. Rika looked like she was about to shout at him for leaving her, but Siren began regurgitating a second Flyer.

"Grab on to its leg and let it carry you!" he shouted at the girl as soon as the Flyer was ready. This all took place in the span of a few seconds, so the two managed to get out of Ares' reach.

However, as soon as Siren looked over his shoulder, he noticed that Ares had regurgitated a Flyer of his own and was still following them by holding on to the creature as it flew after them. Siren gritted his teeth.

_This guy doesn't give up easy._

He issued mental commands to the Flyers to fly higher and stay out of Ares' reach and fly as fast as possible.

Now all they had to do was get to Kuroko before Ares could catch up.

***Page Break***

Kuroko yelped as she narrowly dodged the Claws of one of the Infected that had been guarding the truck. She whirled around, throwing a dart directly into the creature's head, watching as it stumbled back, but didn't die.

So far, they hadn't actually been able to get the truck away from the Evolved. Every time Kuroko tried to teleport, an Infected would interrupt her. Mikoto had done a good job of keeping the creatures off her back, but with the amount of Infected on the roof, not to mention the Evolved, and the speed at which they moved made it difficult to stop all of them from attacking her.

It didn't take long for them to realize that they weren't going to get a chance to get away with the truck. The most they'd be doing by staying on that same rooftop was endangering themselves. The only way to escape was to get away long enough to concentrate on teleporting away, but that was easier said than done.

Next to her, Mikoto grunted as she blasted away three of the Infected that had gotten too close. Both girls were forced to dive out of the way as Laren slammed into the ground where they stood.

Out of all the Infected on the rooftop, the Evolved was the most dangerous. Not only was he faster and stronger than the Infected, but he was understandably more intelligent, what with not having his mind devolved by the virus.

So far, they had managed to keep Kuroko from attempting any sort of teleportation, which meant the two girls were essentially trapped on the rooftop with the Infected and the Evolved.

_Not the best situation to be in…_

Kuroko gritted her teeth as she failed to avoid a kick to shoulder from one of the Infected. With its enhanced physical strength at work, the creature's kick managed to send Kuroko tumbling along the rooftop for a few feet.

Mikoto instantly took off after her, covering her as she scrambled to her feet.

"We need to get off this rooftop and get away! We can't hold them all off!" Kuroko shouted to her friend. Since the Evolved saw Mikoto's lightning as a big threat, they made every attempt to avoid it, making it difficult to hit Laren—who was already hard to hit, being as fast as he was. The other Infected on the rooftop were no different, making this a very unfavorable situation.

Mikoto shot more lightning at a pair of approaching Infected. One of the two managed to twist out of the way, but the other was hit and stumbled back. However, the creature hauled itself to its feet once more, tentacles swarming around its chest as it healed.

_These must be the elite Infected or something—_

She was interrupted as an Infected attempted to tackle her. She dove out of the way, landing a few feet away before twisting around and throwing another dart at the Infected.

Kuroko threw four more darts, each hitting an Infected in the head. However, they simply _refused_ _to die_. Kuroko was considering jumping off the roof—concentrating while falling would still be easier than while the Infected attacked so relentlessly.

Again, she was pulled from her thoughts when she had to dive out of the way once more as an Infected drove its Claws into the spot where she sat a second ago. Planting both hands on the ground, Kuroko flipped forward, desperately trying to concentrate long enough to get back to Mikoto.

Unfortunately for her, another attack interrupted her, and she was forced to roll out of the way as Laren tried stomping on her head.

It was then that she noticed the three flying shapes approaching their rooftop. Her eyes widened.

_Flyers?!_

She would have stared at the sight for a second longer, but the sound of Laren approaching her at an alarming speed forced her to backpedal as the Evolved swung his twin Blades at her.

Laren lashed out at her, narrowly missing her head. Kuroko yelped as she ducked under a kick from the Evolved, but before she could move, a foot slammed down on her right hand, causing her to cry out in pain as she felt the bones break.

In that moment of weakness, Laren kicked her side, sending her rolling along the rooftop.

"Kuroko!" screamed Mikoto.

Kuroko glanced up to see Laren standing over her, foot raised high and aimed at her spine. Her eyes widened, but before she could truly register what was happening, something slammed into Laren sending them both tumbling.

Kuroko blinked before she felt something take hold of her and lift her into the air. Looking down, she saw Rika holding her and jumping off the rooftop.

"Hey, what the heck?!" she heard Mikoto shout. Kuroko looked back and saw Mikoto being lifted into the air by a Flyer.

"Onee-sama!" Kuroko yelled. She was about to try and teleport but Rika interrupted her.

"That Flyer is one of Siren's; it's going to get Mikoto to safety!"

It took a second for Kuroko to register what was being said, but she watched as the Flyer carried Mikoto out of the Infected's reach. She also saw Siren jumping off the rooftop after them.

"Kuroko! Teleport to that rooftop over there! We'll all meet up there then teleport out!"

Kuroko didn't respond. Rather, she looked to where Siren had pointed and finally managed to concentrate and teleport along with Rika. The Flyer carrying Mikoto landed shortly after, followed by Siren. Unfortunately, Laren, Ares, and the Infected were following Siren.

The moment he got on the roof, Siren dashed forward, grabbing Mikoto by the shoulder and skidding to a stop by Kuroko and Rika.

"Now's the time to—"

Kuroko ignored his words and shut her eyes, focusing on concentrating. The last thing she heard before finally teleporting was the loud shriek of an Infected.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Siren's Plan: Understandably, Siren was pressed for time. The plan that he cobbled together to get Ares and Luke away from the Leader Hydra reflects the very small amount of time he had to actually think.**

**Ares vs. Leader Hydra: One of the many things about anime that annoy me is that the antagonist is often portrayed as so vastly superior to the protagonist, it seems like an impossible fight. However, the main character goes and takes steroids (otherwise known as 'looks to his friends for support and suddenly becomes invincible'), and then defeats the antagonist. The fight between Ares and the Leader Hydra was supposed to show that Ares was the more powerful creature, but not invincible. As you read, the Leader Hydra was able to land hits on him. So, it serves as a reminder that Ares is far from omnipotent and can still be defeated.**

**Siren and Rika vs. Ares: Again, you read that those two managed to knock Ares around when they had the advantage of numbers and the element of surprise. This was also meant to reinforce the idea of Ares **_**not**_** being invincible. **


	31. Chapter 31

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES /COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**RESPONSE TO THE GUEST: The 'Luke's cargo' mini-arc wouldn't really be possible without the suggestions sent to me by Wernher von Braun through PMs. This arc is based off what he sent me, so I plan on finishing it using his suggestions. I will say this though; one of the options you offered in your review is similar to what I already have planned for later on, but not necessarily in the way you might be expecting. As for Siren's plan; you never know, but I do agree that he has some personality issues (the guy's not the most stable of people). **

**A quick thank you to everyone who's reviewed the story so far. As far as I can tell, I've responded to every question through a PM or (in the case of guests) through a chapter. If I somehow missed your question, let me know.**

**Chapter 31 **

**Mad Scientist**

Ares growled as he landed on the rooftop, seconds after his enemies vanished into thin air.

_That teleporting brat is getting very annoying._

It seemed that Laren had the same idea as he stared at the spot where the others had been mere moments ago. "Damn him and those—"

Laren took a breath, calming himself before letting it out, but it was obvious that he was still angry. "We _seriously _need to do something about that teleporting esper," he mumbled.

Ares turned around as he heard Luke landing on the rooftop. The Evolved looked furious and just about ready to explode. "Fucking humiliating," he hissed. "Getting dragged like that by Mercer and that damn girl."

Luke let out a breath of his own before turning to Laren. "At least tell me the truck's ok? Or at least the cargo?"

Laren nodded. "The truck and the cargo are fine."

Luke sighed in relief. "Good. Now then, we still haven't—" He froze, eyes widening. Ares frowned in confusion at the Evolved's behavior.

"What's wrong?" he asked quickly.

Luke suddenly whirled around, facing the street. "It's gone," he breathed. Ares walked forward and looked down at the street. It took him a second to realize what Luke was talking about.

"The Hydra! Mercer was trying to keep it alive!" Luke roared. Ares stepped out of the way as Luke turned around and threw a punch at the nearest Infected. The creature made no move to dodge, and Luke's punch sent it flying off the rooftop.

Ares walked over to Luke, who was now breathing heavily in fury. "Calm down," Ares began. "Attacking our own won't do any good."

Luke growled. "_This_ close to getting that thing's DNA and Mercer decides that he wants to crash the party."

Ares frowned. "He must have figured out that the Leader Hydra's DNA would help us create more powerful Infected. I can only assume he wanted to stop that from happening."

"I _know_, I—wait! How did Mercer know we were here?" Luke asked.

Ares blinked. "That's…a very good question."

"When coupled with that girl's teleporting abilities, whatever surveillance Mercer has gives him a major advantage," Laren commented. "I strongly suggest taking that girl down first; as long as she's alive, Mercer can get to pretty much anywhere in the city."

Ares nodded before turning to Luke. "Go check on your cargo; I don't know if we can use damaged goods."

***Page Break***

Kuroko hissed in pain as Siren touched her right hand. "Yep," he said nodding. "It's broken."

Kuroko groaned. "I knew it."

Siren rose to his full height in front of her. "I'd suggest getting a cast for that and seeing the doctor—he can help check that out."

Kuroko nodded before standing up. "You need any help?" Siren asked. Kuroko shook her head, but that didn't stop Mikoto. The girl stood up, walking up to her friend. "I don't care," she began. "I'm coming with you. Siren and Rika can keep—"

Kuroko interrupted her with a chuckle. "I don't think Siren here would be too happy with me leaving Rika's side. After all, he needs someone to babysit her."

Rika's face burned while Siren merely shrugged. "Just being cautious."

Kuroko shook her head at the Prototype's words. "Rika," she called. "Care to tag along? Siren would probably give you a hard time if you stayed here."

"I would no—"

"Sure, whatever," said Rika, standing up. "Oh and Siren," she began, turning to him. "I don't need a _babysitter_. It's not my fault you're so afraid of me."

Siren raised an eyebrow at her. "I'd rather not be the one to deal with your temper tantrums. Kuroko is more suited to do that."

Rika and Kuroko both frowned while Mikoto snickered. "Anyway," Siren continued. "Go on, get your hand checked. I'll keep an eye on the cameras."

Siren turned to the screen once more, eyeing the Evolve as they spoke. From the look of things, Luke had just figured out that the Leader Hydra was gone, and boy did he look unhappy.

The Evolved talked for a few more moments before finally leaving the rooftop, jumping across buildings until reaching the box track that Luke had been driving. When they landed, Ares turned and said something to Luke, who nodded.

The Evolved walked forward, reaching out with his right hand. Siren raised an eyebrow.

_Oh? We're finally going to find out what it was Luke was transporting._

Slowly, Luke opened the truck and Siren leaned forward. He leaned so close that, when a figure rolled out of the truck, Siren jerked back in surprise. It took him a moment to focus on the figure that had come from the truck.

The first thing he noticed was that it wasn't attacking anyone. Rather, it seemed like it was trying to escape. The second thing he noticed was that the figure was fully clothed, as well as tied.

Siren's eyes widened as another one stumbled from the truck, seemingly trying to escape. Laren shoved the second figure back into the truck while Luke grabbed the first and lifted him into the air.

He stared in shock and confusion as Luke gently threw the one he held back into the truck. Luke stuck his head in the truck and stood there like that for a second before stepping back and placing his hands on his hips. He turned to Ares and mumbled something before stepping back to the truck and closing the door.

It had taken him a second, but Siren had recognized what it was that Luke was holding and what was in the truck.

Touma's words rang through his mind as he remembered what the boy had said about the missing soldiers.

"Luke has the Anti-Skill soldiers," Siren breathed.

***Page Break***

Touma yawned as he leaned back in the chair. Next to him, Index sat, happily munching on what looked like bread. As of late, things had been going surprisingly well for him. Index had found food, so that meant she wasn't yelling at him to feed her. Mikoto was busy, so she wasn't around to yell at him…or to try and electrocute him.

_It's almost as if my bad luck if finally gone._

"Hey Touma," Index began. "Do you think they have any actual sandwiches?"

Touma shut his eyes. "Index, we're in the middle of a zombie invasion. Can't you forget about stuffing your face just this once?"

Index cocked her head to the side. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Because—"

Touma was interrupted as the door was flung open and Siren burst into the room, startling Touma to the point that the boy fell out of his seat. "Touma," he barked. "The others; where are they?"

Touma looked up from the floor in confusion. "Huh?"

"The _girls_! I need to talk to them! Do you know where they are?"

"No," Touma said shaking his head. "Is something wrong?"

"I found the Anti-Skill soldiers that went missing," Siren reported. "Luke has them."

Touma blinked. "Luke?"

Siren rolled his eyes. "One of the Evolved."

Touma's eyes widened. "The soldiers were _kidnapped_?!"

Index quietly gasped. "That's horrible!"

"We should tell Anti-Skill," Touma began while standing up, but Siren held out a hand to stop him. "No," the Prototype barked. "That'll make them suspicious. They'll want to know how we found out, and that'll lead to some questions that I really don't want to be answering.

Touma stared at Siren. "What, you want to leave the soldiers there just because you don't want to answer questions?!"

"The Anti-Skill troops here will react pretty badly if they see me. They might accuse me of starting all this, and the only way I get out of that is by killing the soldiers here. If they see Kuroko teleport away with me, they'll know she's helping me, and then the rest of you are going to be dealing with the aftermath."

"But we can't just _leave_ them!" Touma protested.

"I never said anything about leaving them there; I'm not stupid enough to let Luke walk away with living test subjects."

Touma shocked stare turned into one of fury. "Siren, they're not test subjects, they're _people_!"

Siren waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "Yes, yes, I _know_. I'm simply far more concerned with what Luke will create using those soldiers. They're people yes, but they're living creatures that Luke will most likely use as test subjects. That right there is the main problem."

Touma opened his mouth but Siren just shook his head. "I'm going to find the girls. We need to stop Luke before he creates something we can't beat," said Siren while he turned around and ran out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Touma shook his head with a heavy sigh. "That guy," he mumbled.

***Page Break***

Three minutes.

He wasted three minutes searching for the girls. He had to change form several times to avoid being spotted by Anti-Skill, but eventually, he ran in to the girls in the hallway, talking away like it was any normal day.

"Siren?" Mikoto asked. "Perfect timing; we're going to go see Mikoro. The doctor said he saw her getting something to eat and—"

"Problem. Need your help." Siren tried to explain as fast as he could. However, his explanation only earned him confused looks from the three girls.

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Rika.

"The Anti-Skill soldiers that went missing; I found them," Siren frantically explained.

Mikoto's eyes widened. "Really? Where? We need to tell Anti—"

"No," Siren began. "Telling them will make them suspicious and we'll have to tell them how we found out. Look, _Luke_ has the Anti-Skill troops. After we left the scene, I watched him on the cameras. He opened that truck he had and there was a group of Anti-Skill soldiers in there, tied, beaten, but still alive."

The girls stared at him with wide eyes, but didn't say anything, so he continued. "So far, we know that Luke has been experimenting with Infected, but we don't know if he's tried anything using humans." Siren's eyes narrowed. "Given time, he might be able to turn those soldiers into Evolved," he hissed.

"Oh no," Rika breathed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow _down_. Evolved? Why would he turn them into Evolved? They don't work for him, so why give your enemy superpowers?" Kuroko asked.

"You'd be surprised what power does to a man," Siren began. "Luke wouldn't try to change them into Evolved unless he was confident that he could control them."

"How do you know he's going to make Evolved out of them?" Rika asked.

Siren shook his head. "I don't know for sure, but even a chance of more Evolved should be enough to stop whatever experiments Luke has planned. Best case scenario; we save the soldiers. Worst case scenario; Luke creates more Evolved. Absolute nightmare scenario; he somehow creates more Prototypes that are willing to work for him."

Mikoto bit her lower lip. "Crap," she muttered. "Kuroko's injured, so we shouldn't let her fight."

"Nobody said she has to fight," Siren began. "Just have Kuroko teleport us somewhere in the general area, follow Luke, to a place where we can get him away from the truck, then call Kuroko and have her teleport in and get the Anti-Skill soldiers to safety. While we're following Luke, she can sit back here and wait."

Siren turned to the girl in question. "Can you do it? Can you help us here?"

Kuroko sighed. "I was hoping to get some beauty sleep, but I guess when you've got powers, it's your obligation to help those in need—especially during a zombie apocalypse."

"It's not an apocalypse yet, but if the Evolved aren't stopped, it'll become one," said Rika.

Mikoto was conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to keep her friend alive, but on the other, she wanted to get the Anti-Skill soldiers to safety. This was one of the hardest parts of having powers; deciding who to save, knowing that saving one might lead to the death of the other.

"If it makes you feel better," Rika began, turning to Mikoto. "I can stick by Kuroko while she concentrates. If we're attacked, I can just pick her up and jump away—she'll be have a window of opportunity to concentrate," Rika threw in.

"Luke might be able to create more Evolved by using the Anti-Skill soldiers. We _can't_ let that happen. Even if those Evolved don't team up with the others, they still become a threat," Siren explained. "If we knew for sure that Luke wouldn't be able to create more Evolved, I wouldn't have even told you about this—those soldiers would have been as good as dead. But the fact remains that Luke _can_ create more Evolved."

"I'm wondering if I should be mad at you for being so willing to ignore someone's life like that," Mikoto replied dryly.

Siren shrugged. "I try not to risk lives for lost causes."

Mikoto sighed and shook her head. "Fine, we'll do this," she said, turning to Siren. "But if anything happens to Kuroko, I'm blaming you."

Siren nodded. "That's fair," he replied.

***Page Break***

Rika half expected to be attacked when they appeared on a rooftop. Siren had located the truck on the cameras and Kuroko had teleported them nearby. Siren and Rika covered Kuroko as she concentrated on teleporting away. It didn't take her long at all, but they weren't willing to risk her life.

It was decided that Mikoto would stay behind and only be brought in when they actually stopped the truck—having Mikoto try to follow the truck with them would only slow Siren and Rika down.

Next to her, Siren was activating his Infected vision and looking around. "I don't see any Infected creatures on the rooftop, so either the Evolved are smart and staying low to the ground where I can't spot them, or they're actually gone."

"This could be a trap, you know," Rika commented as the two began moving.

"That's a risk we'll have to take," Siren muttered before jumping on to the next rooftop. Rika followed him with ease, eyes peeled and searching for signs of the Evolved or Ares. Luckily, the only Prototype she saw was Siren himself.

The two made their way across the buildings, trying to stay as low as possible while still staying above the Infected. Traveling up here made them easier to spot from a distance, but traveling low to the ground would alert the Infected, which would draw attention.

Siren stopped suddenly, looking down at the ground.

"What's up?" Rika asked.

"Hold on…nothing, he's just turning, sorry," he replied. Rika rolled her eyes and peered over the rooftop's edge. Sure enough, Luke was slowly turning a corner, making sure to avoid various overturned vehicles. As soon as he began speeding up again, Siren and Rika began following him once more.

"Any signs of the Evolved or Ares?" she asked. Siren shook his head.

"Nothing yet. Keep your eyes open; I doubt Ares and the others would just leave the truck unguarded after our attempt at stealing it."

Rika narrowed her eyes. "If you're so sure it's still guarded, why follow it?"

"Because dealing with an ambush is easier than dealing with more Evolved. Using the cameras would have delayed our response in case of emergency, so being here in person was the best option."

_Well, he's got a point there._

Siren slowed once more as Luke pulled up next to a large building. The structure's exterior was almost entirely covered by red tentacles. More Infected roamed the surrounding streets; a sign that this place was something special.

"We still haven't been attacked," Siren observed. "Have they actually left the truck under the care of a single Evolved?"

"What if something came up?" Rika asked.

Siren sighed. "Hopefully not another Leader Hydra. One's more than enough."

A few seconds passed before something similar to a garage door opened in the side of the building. Luke's truck slowly moved toward the open door.

"Well, I guess we'd better get closer and try to figure out how to get in," Rika commented as Luke drove in, the door closing behind him.

"Let's move; we might not have much time left," Siren told her. The Prototype stepped over the edge of the rooftop, gliding to the building Luke had driven into. Rika followed, gliding after him. The two quietly landed on the roof of the building, both searching for any signs of a trap.

Siren gestured to the edge of the rooftop and began walking over to it. Not knowing what he had planned, Rika jogged up next to him. "So…the plan?"

"Get in, get the soldiers, don't die"

Rika rolled her eyes. "Alright. Details?"

"Let's see if we can find an open window or something. We'll have to sneak around the building until we find Luke."

"Why not use the garage?"

This time, Siren rolled his eyes. "Garage doors make noise when they open. Unless we open it normally, we'll have to break through it, which will make even more noise. If we don't alert Luke, we might spook some Infected who'll make enough noise to draw the attention of anyone nearby. Our best chance is probably finding an opening that we can slip through without causing a racket."

Rika nodded. Siren's words made sense. "And if we can't find any openings?" she asked. Siren shrugged. "Plan B; make enough noise out here to cover the sound of us breaking in."

"So what happens if Luke gets paranoid and calls his buddies?"

Siren narrowed his eyes. "We'll just have to be gone before they get here."

Rika sighed at his response but he continued. "Let's check the sides and look for an opening for now." The two walked forward and peered over the edge of the building. Looking down, they saw nothing of use, so they jumped off to the next building to get a better view of the side.

Again, they saw no openings. The viral matter covering the building was acting as a blanket of sorts, covering the entire structure and any openings along with it. Rika scanned another section of the wall while Siren frowned at something.

"Hey, I think I see something," he whispered.

Rika blinked before focusing on the stop Siren was looking at. "Where—"

"The spot below that bulging mass of viral matter," he muttered, pointing with his finger to show her "You see it?"

Rika squinted, quickly locating what Siren was pointing at. There, by the ground, was a small hole in the wall. "Let's go," Siren whispered before jumping off the building they were on.

Rika followed the Prototype as he glided to the hole. He landed next to it, looking around to make sure he hadn't attracted attention. Thankfully, his approach hadn't attracted the attention of the Infected.

"Look," he began when she was near. "This hole—it's not the result of time and weather."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

"This hole looks like someone broke through the wall with a power tool of sorts." Siren's eyes narrowed. "Someone's been here, and judging by the pieces of the wall on the ground around the hole, it wasn't that long ago that they broke in."

Rika's eyes widened. "Come on," said Siren. "We searched for an opening, we found one. Time to use it."

The Prototype began crawling into the opening, climbing through it. Rika followed after him, frowning as she forced herself to crawl through the tight space. She found herself trailing behind Siren as the two crawled through a small tunnel just large enough for a person to fit through—if they crawled on their stomach, that is.

"I can see light up ahead. We're almost through," Siren whispered from in front of her. Rika responded with a grunt as she crawled over a sharp piece of brick.

Soon, she began to see rays of light past Siren as they crawled forward. It wasn't long until the Prototype in front of her crawled out of the tunnel, and she followed. When she was out, she looked around. The two found themselves in what looked like a half-empty indoor garage.

"There's the truck," Siren began. "The Anti-Skill soldiers are probably long gone, but it's worth a check."

Rika nodded and the two walked toward the vehicle. Upon reaching it, Siren pressed his ear against the back of the truck, listening intently. "Nothing," he said as he stepped away.

"What? You're not going to open it?" Rika asked.

Siren shook his head. "That would make noise. I don't want to risk anything. Either the soldiers are in there and they're dead, or they've been taken. Actually, hold on a second."

Tentacles swarmed around his face, and after a second, Siren stared at the truck. "Yup, still nothing."

"Huh?" Rika was confused.

"I used my Thermal Vision to check the truck," Siren said while tentacles swarmed around him once more, indicating he was deactivating his visual power. "I didn't see any heat signatures, and the soldiers were alive a little while ago. Even if they're dead and their bodies are there, I'd still detect faint traces of heat. I didn't see anything, so the soldiers aren't in the truck."

"So that means we find the soldiers or their bodies," Rika muttered.

"Honestly, I'm hoping we find them dead. If they're still alive, they've probably been twisted by Luke. Death would have been a release."

Rika sighed. It was sad to say, but Siren was probably right.

_What has this city been reduced to?_

"Come on," the Prototype muttered. "We've got work to do." With that, the two of them began walking toward a nearby staircase. Upon reaching it, they quietly made their way upstairs. "Any idea what we're looking for, exactly?" Rika asked.

"No clue. Look for increased security in certain areas; maybe an Infected or two that are standing by a door or a wall of viral matter blocking off a possible door or hallway."

Rika frowned. "Not much to go on, huh?"

"It is what it is."

The two walked in silence after that, searching for any sign of Luke or his laboratory. They eventually got off the staircase and began walking through hall. Siren had activated his Infected Vision and was searching for any signs of Infected while Rika scanned for minor details that the silver-haired teen may have missed.

Rika found herself wondering what this building was used for prior to the outbreak.

_Doesn't really matter now. Now, it's just a hideout for the Evolved. _

Rika blinked as she noticed something on the floor. Her hand shot out and grabbed Siren by the shoulder. The teen turned to her with a raised eyebrow. Rika pointed at what she was looking at. "Scuff marks."

Siren's eyes widened and he deactivated his Infected Vision. The two walked forward and examined the scuff marks. "Nice job," Siren muttered. "Now we've got something to follow."

Rika nodded and the two began going in the direction the scuff marks were pointing to. "You know," Rika began. "Somebody could have been walking in the _other _direction—you know, the one we just came from."

"Yes, but we were just there. If we missed something; tough luck."

Rika sighed. "You know, we could split up…"

"And get picked off. No thank you."

A wide grin spread across Rika's face. "Aw, is the big bad Prototype scared? Should I hold your hand too? Or are you good with just being near me?"

Siren glared at her before rolling his eyes and turning away. Rika chuckled. "I can think of a dozen ways you could have responded to that—some of them quite clever."

"Not all of us are as immature as you are," Siren replied while searching the ground for more signs of clues. "Keep your eyes peeled; we're in what seems to be an Evolved headquarters and I have no intention of dying here."

Rika sighed. "Got it," she muttered.

The two continued on, searching the hallways and opening doors. The building seemed almost entirely empty; there were no signs of people or Infected.

"Why's it so…empty?" Rika asked.

"No idea, but I don't like it. Places that are too quiet are usually the most dangerous ones," the silver-haired Prototype muttered. "Besides the silence, that hole we came through has me worried. Whoever broke in could still be here somewhere."

Siren turned to Rika. "Do you know if there are any other Super Soldiers in Academy City?"

Rika shrugged. "No idea, but I doubt it. Why? Do you think this intruder is that dangerous?"

"I think he—or she—is an unknown. Unknowns are best treated as threats so that you can react if they turn out to actually be one. Right now, we can't afford to make mistakes like underestimating someone."

The two paused as they noticed a set of blue double doors. There was no exit sign above them, so Rika assumed that this didn't lead outside. Next to her, Siren was frowning as he stared at the doors. "Come on," Rika muttered. "That might lead to something."

They moved forward, both pressing their ears against the cool doors and listening for anything that might indicate company. When both were satisfied that it was clear, the slowly walked through.

The smell hit her like a truck. She stopped when she laid eyes on the hallway before her. "Oh great," she hissed. The hallway was lined with tables. Corpses lied on almost every table, each in a varying state. Some were rotten and falling apart, while others looked fresh.

"Looks like we found Luke's lab, or at least part of it," Siren muttered. "Those doors must have kept the smell from spreading."

"Please tell me these things won't start standing up."

The Prototype shrugged. "Be on your guard, just in case." They walked forward, careful to avoid getting too close to any of the corpses. "Look at this," Rika growled. "Some of these people were just civilians—I've only seen three or four people who weren't, and we've passed _dozens_ of corpses!"

"Just focus on finding survivors—if there are any. These must have been earlier attempts at creating Evolved. Luckily, they seem to have been failed attempts."

Rika reluctantly complied, walking a little faster to keep up with Siren. The dim lights in the hallway did little to brighten their path, but the two managed to make it to the other end without tripping.

They stopped in front of a door—the only one in the short hallway. Siren hesitantly pushed it open, and the two tensed as they expected something to come charging out at them. Nothing came, and slowly, they entered the room.

At first, it seemed as though there was nothing special inside. However, it took Rika a second to spot pieces of shredded paper all over the floor. "Hey," she whispered to Siren. "Somebody's been shredding something in here."

Siren frowned and knelt down to examine the papers. "You're right," he said. "I think this may have been what the other intruder was after."

"Documents? Why would—?"

"I have no clue. Perhaps this was something useful to the Evolved, perhaps it was something the intruder wanted to destroy before the Evolved realized its value—I don't know. The point it, there's shredded paper on the floor—and not much of it at that, so it's possibly that the intruder walked off with some of the documents."

Rika sighed. "Alright, so this person stole something. How does that help us find the Anti-Skill soldiers?"

"It doesn't. However, we might be able to learn something from all this," Siren replied as he began searching the room. "See if you can find any papers that tell us something useful. The intruder could have left something behind."

"There better be something good," was the reply Siren received. The two began rummaging around, opening drawers, cabinets, and anything else that could hold papers. Soon, Rika found something that sparked her interest. "Siren…"

"Find something?"

"These papers have details on some kind of…blanked that—"

"I'm sorry, did you say a _blanket_?"

"Let me finish!" Rika barked. "They have information on this blanket thing that's meant to hide heat signatures."

"And your point…is…" Siren trailed off as realization dawned on his face. "They hid the soldiers' heat signatures," he breathed. "The soldiers could still be in the truck!"

"I _told_ you to open the damn thing instead of wasting time wandering around here!" Rika growled.

"Yes, yes, _my_ _mistake_. Let's just get back to the truck, open it, and hope the soldiers are still there," Siren replied while running out of the room. Rika trailed after him, bursting out of the room and running after him.

***Page Break***

Siren winced as he slowly lifted the door to the back of the truck.

_It seems that whenever you want to be quiet, everything is infinitely louder._

As soon as the door opened, they were treated to the sight of several soldiers—each tied up in some way. Their eyes were hollow and unfocused. If anything, they looked dead. However, the fact that they were breathing said otherwise.

"I knew it," Rika growled. "You have any idea how much time we wasted?!"

"I _know_," Siren snapped. "I made a mistake—we all do that. Or did you forget you tried to kill me because you thought I was someone else?"

Rika shut her mouth, glaring angrily at him. Siren turned back to the soldiers and gently shook one of them. The man turned his head to stare at Siren, squinting slightly as he tried to focus.

"Y—you," he croaked. "You're one of them…aren't you?"

Siren blinked. "Pardon?"

"Those tentacle freaks," the man spat, blood and spit flying from his mouth. "You're one of them."

"We share similar powers, but that's all," Siren replied. "I don't work for them. Or with them."

The man chuckled. "Like I'd believe you."

Siren shook his head. "Whether you believe me or not isn't my problem. Tell me, what did Luke do to you?"

"You even know their names," the man said with another chuckle. "You—"

"Look, I don't work with them. We're trying to stop them. Every bit of information about them that we can get our hands on is worth something. We—"

"Go fuck yourself."

Siren groaned and turned to Rika. "I'm not going to play this game. We've been in this building long enough and our luck is bound to run out soon. I'm just going to consume him and get the memories."

Rika's eyes widened. "You can't do that! These are good people—"

"Yes, good people that are dying and refusing to cooperate. They're going to die, so why not make it mean something?"

"Mikoto would never let you live this down," Rika hissed. "You know she won't forgive you!"

"She doesn't have to know," Siren snapped.

Rika threw her hands in the air. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?! The people you work with are your _friends_, and you can so easily betray their trust?!"

"Stopping the Evolved is my primary goal. I'm willing to play the villain if it means the Evolved are stopped."

Rika's palm met her face. "Look, just call Kuroko down here and have her talk to these guys. Or Mikoto—either will do. These soldiers know those girls, so they'll be more open with them. Just let them talk to the girls."

Siren sighed before holding his hands up in surrender. "Alright, fine. Let's get this truck out of here to a safer location and have Kuroko and Mikoto talk to them. But if this doesn't work," he began, leaning forward. "I'm consuming them, and you're not stopping me, and neither are the others."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "Not even Mikoro?"

Siren paused, hesitating. "She's a friend," he said, narrowing his eyes. "But the Evolved _need to be stopped_. She can try to stop me if she wants; it's not going to change my mind."

This time, Rika narrowed her eyes. "You'd kill her?"

Siren shook his head. "I never said that. I said she can't stop me. There are a hundred and one ways to get around an obstacle. There are a _thousand_ and one ways to do it if that obstacle is a teenage girl."

"I—You," Rika paused, sighing. "Just forget it. Let's move."

***Page Break***

Mikoto gulped as she and Kuroko eyed the truck. They, along with Siren and Rika, stood in the garage of another building—one that wasn't too far from where Siren and Rika found the truck.

"The soldiers are in here," Siren began. "You might want to make this quick; they're dying, and I don't know what Luke did to them. For all we know, they're turning into Evolved, and if they are, I'll probably be the one they blame for that."

Mikoto nodded, turning to Kuroko. "Well, let's go, shall we?" she asked, a sad smile crossing her face. "Might as well make sure their deaths mean something."

Kuroko snorted. "Damn right they'll mean something." The two girls walked forward, reaching the truck in a few short strides. They opened the door together—Kuroko using her good hand—revealing the dying men inside.

"Hey," said Kuroko in the calmest manner possible.

The man that had spoken to Siren jerked at the sudden burst of light that fell upon him, but slowly focused on Kuroko. "You're the Judgment girl," he breathed.

"Yeah, I am," Kuroko answered. "Listen, sir, we're trying to stop the people that caused all this, but we don't have much information on them. I know it may be painful to talk about what they did to you, but we need to know. We need to understand what it is they're doing behind the curtains so we know what to expect and prepare for it. Every bit of information helps."

The man coughed. "Is…is that silver-haired freak still here?"

When Kuroko hesitated, Mikoto turned to Siren for support. The Prototype shook his head, mouthing the word 'no' at her. "No," Mikoto answered. "He's gone."

"Is he…dead?" the soldier asked, turning to Mikoto. "Did you kill him?"

Mikoto opened her mouth, then closed it. She turned to Siren, who was now nodding and mouthing the word 'yes' at her.

"Yes," she lied. "We finished him off."

Kuroko's eyes widened, but the soldiers didn't notice. Smiles spread across the faces of the men in the truck. "Good…good job kid," the man said, the smile never leaving his face. "Show those monsters that you can't mess with the people of Academy City."

_I feel like such an ass._

Mikoto's hands shook as she realized she had lied to a man that was on his deathbed. And for what? What could this information get them?

_Damn you, Siren. Damn you for making me do this._

"The guy—the one who did this to us—he said something about trying to turn us into…Evolved. I think…I think he injected us with the virus," the soldiers said, his eyes beginning to shut. "He said…he said…we…."

"Hey, come on! Just hold on, you can't die yet!" Mikoto shouted. "Please, don't let your deaths be meaningless!"

"He said the virus would take time to finish turning us," the soldier choked out. "He said the strain he infected us with took longer to take effect. He injected us before putting us in that tru—" The man stopped as he coughed. "Before putting us in the truck," he finished, his voice strained.

Mikoto's eyes widened.

_He's trying to make more Evolved. Oh gosh, he's trying to make more Evolved!_

She was pulled from her thoughts as the soldier grabbed her arm. "Listen, kid, I know this is a lot to ask, and I know you're still so young but," he paused. "Don't let us become like them. Please."

Mikoto stared down at him. "You don't mean…"

"Yes," the man continued. "I want you to kill us. We're all dying, _we_ _know that_. But what we don't know is what happens to our bodies after we're gone. Will we still be the same people? Will those freaks use us like puppets? _That's _what we don't know, but we don't want to become like _them_."

"We have families," a man choked out from the back. "We don't want to find out that whatever we turned into destroyed our loved ones."

"Please," begged another soldier. "_We_ _don't want to be like them_."

"Don't let us turn," choked a fourth. "Just finish us off before we…we"

He trailed off as his eyes began closing. "…we…"

Mikoto felt tears beginning to fall down her face. Kuroko was faring no better.

"I know you're just children," the first soldier began once more. "But you're also this city's only hope of survival. Please."

Mikoto clenched her fists, her breathing becoming more ragged. "Ok," she whispered. "Ok."

"One…one last thing," the soldier began. "The guy who did this to us; he was rambling on about something. He mentioned once working for Ge—Gentek. I don't know who…they…" he trailed off as his breathing became shallower.

Mikoto took several steps back, completely missing the weight of the man's words. She pulled Kuroko along. "I'm gonna," she paused as her crying turned to sobbing. "I'm gonna blow up the truck. The electricity, the shrapnel, the explosion itself; it should all be quick and painless."

"Don't worry about us," one of the soldiers choked out. "I can't feel anything anymore."

Mikoto paused, crossing her arms and clenching her shoulders, which shook from her sobbing. She stood there like that for a moment before finally snapping. With a loud scream, lighting roared around her, swirling around like a tornado. The display of power continued on for a second or two before Mikoto blasted the truck.

The vehicle exploded instantly, engulfed in both fire and lightning as shards of metal flew in every direction. None of the soldiers screamed or made any noise.

She stood there, panting as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"They're dead," said Siren, his cold voice causing her blood to boil. "I can't see them with my Thermal Vision. We should—"

Mikoto whirled around, punching Siren with all her strength. Her fist slammed into his right cheek, causing him to step back in surprise. Mikoto knew she didn't hurt him, but she didn't care. She stepped forward, grabbing him by the shirt and yanked him forward until they were face to face.

"Never again," she hissed. "Don't you _ever_ make me lie to a dying man again!" she roared. "Or else I'll cram lightning so far up your ass, it'll rearrange your teeth!"

She pushed him away, stomping over to Kuroko.

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** Angry Mikoto: I finally decided to have Mikoto snap. She's an honorable girl who tries to do as much good as she can to help the world, all while trying to keep the body count to an absolute minimum. Siren on the other hand, doesn't really care about that. His methods are different, and he's willing to lie, cheat, and kill for both the greater good and his own personal goals. This chapter, Mikoto saw and finally realized that, and since Siren had her lie—to a dying man no less—she was, well…less than pleased.**

** Slow Turning: I know that Alex Mercer infected James Heller quite quickly in Prototype 2, turning him into an Evolved/Prototype/whatever Heller became. However, I thought that was odd; the fact that such a drastic transformation could occur so quickly. Yes, the Infected often undergo more obvious physical changes (becoming extremely deformed), but I thought the transformation from human to Evolved should have been a longer process. So, that's what I did with this story. **


	32. Chapter 32

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**A QUICK NOTE: To avoid any hurt feelings, I want to clarify this now; if you leave a review, I'll respond if you actually ask a question (unless I perceive it to be rhetorical), or if I have a question for YOU. If you leave a review saying you liked this part or that part, I'll still read your review, enjoy it, but probably won't respond because I'll have nothing to say. So, if you have questions in your reviews, MAKE THEM OBVIOUS because I want to answer them, and I want to avoid letting people think I'm ignoring them. **

**Chapter 32**

**Strained Relationships **

A thousand and one problems fought for his attention. Each issue had its own solution, its own circumstances, its own dangers. However, two particular problems—both of which were people—tugged at his mind more than others.

Luke and Mikoto.

Siren now knew Luke had once worked with Gentek. That alone was bad enough—the people at Gentek weren't known for their mercy or kindness—but being an Evolved, Luke had an understanding of the viruses that the scientists at Gentek probably didn't.

_Luke has to die first. There's no telling what he'll be able to create given enough time._

The second problem was Mikoto. Siren narrowed his eyes in annoyance as he thought of the girl.

_Why does she have to be such a…a child? She has to understand that holding on to the idea of a fair fight is going to get her killed. We aren't going to win this with honor._

Again, he reminded himself that Mikoto—as well as the others—were children.

_I'm expecting too much out of them._

But in this situation…

_No…no, they __**have**__ to learn. Fighting fair will be a setback, and we can't afford those right now._

It would take time, but he'd have to make Mikoto understand, even if he had to force her to accept it.

_I'm not losing to the Evolved all because her feelings are hurt._

He shut his eyes, hoping to allow the anger to drain from his system. He knew that once his emotions weren't affecting his logic, he'd be able to think this through more carefully.

"Um, so, you've been silent for the past, I dunno, five minutes?" said a female voice, pulling Siren from his thoughts.

"Need something"? Siren asked, causing Mikoro rolled her eyes at him.

"Look," she began. "I know you and Mikoto aren't in the friendliest of moods right now, but you two need to work this out."

Siren sighed. "I told you what happened; Mikoto didn't like my methods, and now she's angry about it. There's nothing to work out until she's calmed down."

This time, Mikoro sighed. "I know you've told me—I was the first to notice the glare she gave you when you guys returned—but you've sat here for a while, and I'm pretty sure Mikoto's as calm as she's going to get."

Siren replied by groaning, which caused Mikoro to raise an eyebrow. "Siren, come on, swallow your pride and just talk to her about this."

"My pride has nothing to do with this," he snapped. "I just want to give her as much time as possible to get over something this stupid and—"

"Siren," Mikoro scolded. "Lying to a dying man is not something Mikoto would take lightly. Forcing her to do that really hurt her—she sent men to their graves after lying to their faces."

"And she'll have to accept that to achieve a common good, sometimes you've got to lie to good people for good reasons."

Mikoro frowned. "Or you can try being a little less insensitive and consider what you did to her."

Siren snorted. "I was going to consume the soldiers to get the information we needed, but Rika convinced me to let Mikoto and Kuroko try talking to them. Those guys weren't going to say anything as long as they thought I was there. So, to save time—and possibly our lives—I just told Mikoto to tell them I was gone."

"You made her trick that man into giving up information that he didn't want you to hear. Even if you're not with the Evolved, she denied a dying man one of his last wishes but let him believe otherwise, all because you told her to. For someone like Mikoto, that's a big deal."

"But we got something out of it! We know now that Luke's a bigger threat than we first imagined. We know now we have to prioritize him—"

"Siren," Mikoro interrupted. "I don't think what you did to Mikoto was worth that information."

"You're wrong," Siren replied, shaking his head. "Because we know about this, we know to target Luke first. We might be able to stop him from creating Evolved that he would have otherwise been able to create."

"Yes Siren, we _might_ be able to stop Luke from creating this or that. We _might_ be able to make use of this information, we _might _prevent the creation of more Evolved, we _might, might, might_! We don't know for sure if Luke is even close to creating more Evolved, but we do know that Mikoto's in pain for what you made her do."

"I'm not apologizing, if that's what you want. Mikoto's a good person, but if I have to hurt her to stop the Evolved, I will."

Mikoro narrowed her eyes. "Would you? Would you really make her suffer?"

"If it's to stop the Evolved, then yes. Sometimes, you've got to make impossible choices. Do you hurt a few to save many? Do you save this person or that person? Life is filled with hard choices, but when you're the one with the power to make change, your choices will be next to _impossible_."

Mikoro shook her head. "_You_ can be impossible sometimes, you know that?"

Siren shrugged. "I've been told so before."

"By who?"

Siren didn't get to answer because the door to the room they were in opened as Mikoto walked in, followed by Kuroko. She shot a glare at Siren before speaking. "Kuroko wanted me to _talk_ to you about our little…disagreement."

"Welcome to the club," Siren replied dryly. "Mikoro has been telling me I should talk to _you_."

"Well, now that you're both in the room," Mikoro said, clapping her hands together. "Why don't we start fixing our relationships here?"

Mikoto narrowed her eyes at Siren. "I want to stop the Evolved as much as you do, but I'm not going along with your plans if they revolve around lying to the dying."

Siren groaned. "Mikoto, _listen to me_. I didn't tell you to trick him for the fun of it or to hurt you, I did it because we couldn't risk staying there and arguing with him. We were lucky—really lucky—that we found the truck without any interruptions. I had no intention of pushing that luck. We needed information, so I had you get it in the fastest way possible."

"And why is it always efficiency with you? Why don't you consider other people's feelings, or what you do to them? Have you ever once thought about the families of the people you've consumed? Or their friends?" Mikoto asked.

"I have their memories, Mikoto—I _know_ about their families and friends, but when someone has ruined the lives of thousands of people to build his company, or murdered his old friends for money, or anything of the sort, it's difficult to feel bad for them while stripping them of all that power and money. It's even harder to feel bad for someone who kidnaps or rapes or whatever. If one's father is a rapist, it's usually best to stay away from him anyway. I did many of those families a favor by separating them from people like that."

"Ugh, you're missing the point!" Mikoto shouted. "This is exactly what I'm talking about; you don't consider people's feelings when making these decisions!"

"I was trying to make a choice that benefits the world. It's better to lie to one man than to watch the world burn.

"I—"

"Mikoto," Siren interrupted. "Let me ask you this; if the lives of all your friends were in danger, if everyone you ever knew was at death's door, and lying to me would get you closer to saving them, would you do it? Would you lie to my face to save everyone you cared about?"

The electric esper looked away, eyes locked on the floor.

"Yes, you would," Siren answered for her. "And I wouldn't blame you. I might be a little annoyed at first, but I'd understand. You have to understand, your feelings aren't my top priority. Stopping the Evolved is, and since we don't have much to go off of, I'm grasping at straws when it comes to looking for information."

The electric esper shot him an angry glare, which caused Siren to smirk slightly. "You know I'm right, Mikoto. You don't like my methods; _that's fine_. You don't have to, and I never expected you to; we're too different." He leaned back in his seat. "When I fought you a while ago—the fight where you shot me with your Railgun—I knew that you understood the curse of power, you knew the problems that came with power. You want to use your power for good, to help people, you want to be the _hero_."

The smirk on his face widened. "Consider this a free life lesson; sometimes, you can't play the hero if you want to save anyone. Sometimes, you have to play the villain, and let people despise you for it. Sometimes, that's the best choice because the alternative is worse."

He folded his arms over his chest. "I'll let you think about that, so if you wanted to say anything else, now's the time. Otherwise, I want to think up a way to draw Luke out so we can finally take him down."

He stood up and began walking to the door. However, as soon as he reached it, he turned back to Mikoto. "Even now, you probably think I'm cruel, and you're angry at me for it. It's a perfect example of what I was just saying. You're angry at me for what I made you do, but the alternative was worse. If we stayed there, begging the soldiers to talk, we might have been ambushed. I played the villain, and because of it, we're still alive, _and_ we've got a little more information."

With that, he opened the door, and walked through, ignoring the glare Kuroko was giving him.

***Page Break***

Siren thought about the soldier's words as he walked. The man had mentioned that Luke expected the virus to take a long time to change them. Siren wasn't familiar with the transformation from human to Evolved, but he knew about the transformation from human to Infected. That process didn't take very long at all, as far as he knew. Were there any special factors that made the Evolved transformation longer?

_Did consuming so many Infected have any immediate effects on me? Did it have any effects on me as of late?_

Siren paused, blinking. He remembered it; blacking out and waking up, finding himself surrounded by dead bodies. From then on, he was different. Could it have been because of something he had consumed? Were the effects only then kicking in? If so, what could have been the trigger?

_Craig…_

His eyes widened the more he thought about it. It made more and more sense with each passing second. Consuming Craig had given him the Evolved's DNA, and if it was the same strain—or a similar one—as the one Luke had used to try and create more Evolved, then it might have simply taken time to have its effect on him.

_That must be it! The DNA from Craig must not have kicked in until that time, and the time I blacked out was the indication!_

Suddenly, a worrisome thought crossed his mind.

_What if it happens again? I've been consuming Infected since then, so what if I black out again? _

If he fell like that in the middle of battle, the chances of escape would fall like a rock.

_Wait, wait, wait. I'm positive the Evolved's DNA is nothing like those of ordinary Infected, so perhaps consuming Evolved is what creates those delayed changes. _

But at the same time, the changes that occurred after he blacked out might have been a one-time thing, a mere result of his first attempt at consuming an Evolved,

It made sense; his first contact with the DNA of an Evolved would probably take time to actually have an effect on him. Perhaps, now that he was changed by it, he'd be able to make use of the DNA faster than before.

_I hope so. If I have to wait that long after every Evolved I consume, I'll never get to fight Ares._

He ran a hand through his hair. This was taking far too long. He understood that rushing it wasn't an option, but he was hoping to have at least consumed one Evolved by now, but that wasn't the case.

_We've gotta pull this together. Once Mikoto's got her head back in the game, we'll be ready to take one of them on. We'll need to think of something to draw an Evolved—preferably Luke—out, then weaken him to the point that I can consume him._

He shut his eyes, silently cursing the young, innocent nature of Mikoto and the others. They may have fought battles, but they had no experience in something larger—something like the Evolved. The others were young and believed that anything could be done if they tried hard enough.

_Idiots._

Throughout history, countless battles, countless _wars_ were won because one side used their heads and tricked the other. An enemy sitting in an impenetrable fortress was defeated because they were drawn out of their stronghold. Large armies went running for the hills when a smaller army made themselves look bigger and stronger than anyone could imagine.

Trickery and lies were part of what it took to beat a superior force.

_And until the others accept that, we can't properly move on._

***Page Break***

Touma poked his head through the door, followed shortly by Index. "Hey guys," he said awkwardly. "Uh, everything alright?"

Mikoto snorted. "Not exactly, no."

Touma shut his eyes and groaned. "What happened?"

"Mikoto is still angry with Siren for what he did. The problem is…he's kinda right," Mikoro explained. "I don't like his methods either, but there's no questioning the results. He got what—"

"But it feels _wrong_," Mikoto protested. "Those men would have died protecting us if need be, and I lied to their faces _while they were dying_!"

"I never said it felt right," Mikoro replied with a frown. "I just said that it got the job done."

"In the worst way possible," Mikoto growled.

"Look, Biri-Biri," Touma began, the girl frowning at him as he used the nickname. "I can't say I agree with Siren, but this won't last forever. Think about it; the sooner the Evolved are gone, the sooner we can all go back to our normal lives. Like it or not, Siren's got the most experience with fighting Infected, so as long as he's here, we might as well back him up while he takes care of the threat."

Mikoto groaned. "Why is it that the biggest chance we have of defeating the Evolved just so happens to be so…_crazy_?"

Touma shrugged. "To be fair, his life is pretty messed up—Rika's is too, to be honest."

Mikoro's head snapped up. "Wait, where's Rika? I just noticed she isn't with you."

Kuroko snorted. "Rika is relaxing after her little run with Siren. She's a big girl; she doesn't need a babysitter."

Touma winced. "Siren's gonna be pissed."

"Ha! He can get as angry as he wants. I'm not his maid," Kuroko said while holding her head up.

Touma shook his head. "Anyway, as I was saying, this isn't permanent, Biri-Biri. Just roll with it for now."

Mikoto frowned at him. "You're the last person I would expect to agree with Siren here."

"Oh trust me; his methods are _not_ my style. Honestly, if I had met him by myself one day and knew what it was that he did, I'd probably end up in a fight with him. I'd want to show him that he can't be so…"

"Violent and willing to kill?" Kuroko offered.

"Yeah, that!"

Mikoto bowed her head in annoyance. "Fine, I'll ignore his…tendencies _for now_. After the Evolved are taken care of, Siren and I will be having a little talk." A grin appeared on Mikoto's face. "And a rematch."

"Eh, you might have to track him to wherever he goes after all this," Touma said with a shrug, catching the girls' attention. He took a step back as everyone, save for Index, stared at him. "What do you mean?" Mikoto asked suspiciously.

_Oh crap, he hasn't told them, has he?_

"Uh, well," Touma began as sweat began to pour down his face. "Touma," Mikoro began. "What did you mean by that?"

"Uh, Siren told me he sorta plans on…leaving Academy City after the Evolved are, um, dealt with," Touma offered weakly as the others continued staring at him. "Wait, he's just…_leaving_?" Mikoto asked in disbelief.

"_Why_?!" Mikoro demanded.

"Well, last I heard from him, he was planning on tracking down the one behind all this. Once Siren's got the memories and power he needs, he's heading straight for the one pulling the strings."

"Cutting the head off the snake," Kuroko muttered.

"And the rest of the Infected?" Mikoto demanded, leaning forward. "What, killing the Evolved is just going to make the Infected vanish into thin air?"

Touma held his hands up in defeat. "Hey, Siren didn't tell me everything! I don't even know _why_ he told me of all people! If you want answers, go talk to him!"

Mikoto did just that, leaping up from her seat, followed by Mikoro as the two rushed out the door. Kuroko sighed and walked after them, walking past Touma without so much as a second glance.

***Page Break***

"Siren! Siren Mercer!"

Siren blinked as he heard someone calling his name. He had been walking through a hallway in the form of a young teenager—a fire esper he had consumed a while ago. He turned and watched as Mikoto and Mikoro rushed past him, shouting for him.

"Siren!" Mikoto roared. "Where are you?"

"Uh, excuse me, miss!" Siren shouted. A few of the people in the hallway glanced at him before turning away. Mikoto whirled around and faced him. "Yes?"

"I believe I saw your friend a minute ago," Siren called jogging over to them. He saw a suspicious look cross Mikoro's face as he came closer.

_Good, she's suspicious of a stranger claiming to know her friend._

"Great! Did you see where—"

"Yes, yes I did actually," Siren said, allowing his eyes to return to their normal state. "Mikoto," he hissed. "_It's me_."

The girl's eyes widened as Siren grabbed her arm. "Right over here," Siren said cheerfully, dragging her along.

_Ugh, I despise this personality._

"Just play along," he whispered to the two girls as they followed. The moment they rounded the corner and were out of sight, Siren turned to them, shifting out of his disguised form. "Look, you two," he began. "Calling out my name isn't smart here. Someone might recognize it and—"

"Siren," Mikoto snapped. "Just, hold on a second."

Siren sighed and leaned back. "What?"

"After the Evolved are taken care of, after they're dead, what're you going to do?" Mikoto asked slowly. "Where are you going to go?"

Siren raised an eyebrow.

_I guess they know now._

"If you must know, I plan on tracking down the source of all this. I plan on hunting down whoever is behind all this and stopping them once and for all."

Mikoto growled. "And you didn't tell us this sooner because?!" she demanded. "The Evolved trashed our city—our _home_—because they were looking for _you_! The least you can do is help us clean up the mess!"

Siren frowned at her. "I am helping, in case you haven't noticed. I've been doing everything I can to stop the Evolved. Without them, the Infected will be an army without a leader, a stumbling body without a head. Taking care of them once the Evolved are gone will be a piece of cake."

"And you can't stay to share this cake because?" Mikoro left the question hanging as she stared at her friend.

"Because _someone_ has to go take on the one pulling the strings to ensure this never happens again," Siren hissed. "None of you stand a chance against whoever is behind all this; that's why _I'm_ going to try and stop them after all this is over."

Siren took a step forward. "Look, as long as I'm here, this city will be in danger. Once I'm gone, your lives—_everyone's _lives—will go back to normal. If I stay, after the Evolved here are dead, then whoever sent them will realize that. They found me once, they can do it again. Once they find out their elite Evolved have been consumed, along with their Prototype, they'll come here with their full power. Everything they have, everything they can create, will be here, in Academy City, with the goal of capturing me. If I consume Ares and the others, I'll be the only one capable of fighting back, and Academy City will be caught in the crossfire. Is that what you want? For your homes to become the battle ground for some sort of Infected war?"

The girls looked away, shaking their heads. "It's been fun, but it had to come to an end sooner or later. Once the Evolved are done for, I'm leaving, and neither of you can—or should—stop me."

He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Now, was there something else you needed, or was that it?"

"That was all," Mikoto growled, turning around and walking away.

Mikoro gave Siren a glare. "You know," she began, her tone low. "I'm always surprised by how much of a dick you can be to the people who care about you."

Siren paused. It was probably the first time Mikoro had insulted him, and the words that left her mouth surprised him. "Excuse me?"

"I said I'm always surprised by how much of a dick you can be to us. As of late, you've seen us as resources, as _assets_. We're your friends who help you out of kindness, not obligation."

"Resources?! Since when have I—"

"You haven't been fair to the rest of us. Most of the time, it's _your_ decisions that we end up following, _your_ orders. You know, we can quit any day. What would you do then?"

Siren narrowed his eyes. "I can quit too, you know. I don't have to help humanity; I can just join the Evolved. Then what would _you_ do?"

"I'd fight alongside my friends to survive. But no matter how bad the situation gets, I'd still treat them as friends, not resources. And I'd tell them if I planned to step out of their lives at a moment's notice."

Siren groaned in annoyance. "I expected at least you to understand my decision to leave, but—"

"Oh no," Mikoro interrupted. "I completely understand the reasoning behind your decision; it makes perfect sense, actually. No, you see, what I'm angry about is the way you handle giving out that kind of information and the way you've been treating the rest of us as of late, in case you didn't pick up on that.

Siren shook his head. "The way I treat you is influenced by the situation. We're facing a crisis, and I'm focusing on—"

"Stopping the Evolved, so I've heard," Mikoro replied dryly.

"Tell me, before all this happened, did I treat you like this? Like an, what did you call it? An _asset_?"

"No, but are the rest of us treating you like a resource, rather than a friend?"

Siren opened his mouth but closed it. Why didn't she get it?! He was trying to prevent the extinction of her race!

"The answer is no, we're not," Mikoro finished. "I think you need to learn how to manage stress a little better; if you use friends like resources whenever there's trouble, I can't imagine how it must have been for Rika while she was out on missions with you."

"Don't worry," Siren snapped. "When this is all over, I'm leaving, and you can forget I exist. Or maybe I'll fail, and the Evolved will take over the world. Then you can remember me as the guy who died trying."

Mikoro snorted. "Yeah, well, make sure you leave a good impression, seeing as you're planning on just jumping out of my life without a goodbye."

"I planned on informing you all," Siren replied.

"Oh yeah? When? Come to think of it, why did _Touma _know? Why tell him?"

"He was the only one who really brought it up. Besides, he and Index know me the least, so I knew he wouldn't whine about it."

"Oh, so now I'm whining?!"

"I never said that," Siren growled. "But now that you mention it…"

Mikoro threw her hands up. "I give up! Nothing I do or say can get through that thick skull of yours!"

"Joke's on you," he replied. "I don't have a skull—I'm just biomass."

"And yet, somehow, nothing gets through to that dark little place you call your mind."

Siren held up his hands and let out a loud sigh. "You know what; I have better things to do than this," he said. "Once the lot of you are done whining about my decision to try and _save your lives_, we can resume the hunt for the Evolved."

He turned around and began walking, ignoring the glare he knew Mikoro was directing at him.

_Why do they have to be such idiots? By leaving to face the Evolveds' leader on my own, I'm preserving them, protecting them. They won't have to risk their lives in that battle—only I will. _

Siren resisted the urge to punch the wall to his right. That action would cause damage, attract attention, and force him to answer questions he didn't want to think about right now.

"Siren Mercer," said a voice to his left. Siren clenched his teeth; _another_ idiot coming to talk to him and ruin his otherwise peaceful walk. When he turned around, he saw a familiar frog-faced doctor.

"I overheard your…argument with the girls," the man explained.

"For your sake," Siren growled. "I hope you haven't come to lecture me; I'm _not_ in the fucking mood."

The man held up his hands in surrender. "Nothing of the sort, my boy—"

"Don't call me that."

The doctor paused, a hint of worry on his face. The worry faded almost instantly, but Siren found it slightly satisfying that he could intimidate people like that. "What do you want?" he asked the frog-faced doctor.

The man shoved his hands into his pockets. "I came to tell you that you're not alone in all this."

"What did I just say about lecturing me?" Siren hissed in anger.

"I'm not lecturing you. I'm telling you this to explain—" The man was interrupted as Siren's phone began ringing. Reaching for the device, Siren grabbed it and brought it up to his face. He frowned at the unfamiliar number.

"I'm telling you this to explain the call you're getting. Pick up," the man said softly. Siren narrowed his eyes at him in a mix of confusion and suspicion. "Do you want to stop the Evolved or not?" the doctor asked.

After a moment's hesitation, Siren nodded. "Then pick up," the doctor repeated. Siren's finger moved over the screen and he tapped the surface, accepting the call. "Hello?" he said hesitantly as he brought the phone to his ear.

"Huh? Siren?" Siren blinked.

_ Mikoto?_

"Wait, what? Mikoto, Siren? What are you two calling me for?"

_Kuroko?_

"Is this some kind of joke?" asked another female.

_Rika too? What's going on?_

"What the heck is going on?! Who's calling who?" Kuroko asked.

Siren directed a glare at the doctor in front of him, eyeing him and wondering whether or not he should consume the man. However, he was pulled from his thoughts by an unfamiliar voice.

"Ladies, gentlemen, if you'll all calm down, we can get down to business," said a calm voice.

Siren's eyes immediately narrowed. "Who is this?" he asked. "And why are you calling us all at once?"

"Ah, Siren Mercer. It is good to finally speak with one of Blackwatch's little projects."

"Wha—how'd you?! Who_ are_ you?" Siren demanded.

"I'd like to know too," Rika's voice broke through. "Mikoto, Kuroko; you guys know him?"

"No clue what's going—"

The voice sighed. "If you'd all let me speak, I'd answer your questions."

They all went silent, waiting for the voice to speak again.

"Ah, finally, you've all calmed down. Now then, for starters, my name is Aleister Crowley. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

Siren stiffened. He knew that name.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Siren Winning Arguments: Some people might be wondering why it seems that Siren wins most arguments with his friends. The logic behind this is quite simple, actually. Besides Siren, the protagonists of this story are mostly teens. Now, while Siren looks like a teenager, it's important to remember that he doesn't have the mind of one. He has thousands of years worth of memory, so technically, he's got the minds of hundreds of people. Wisdom doesn't come with age, it comes with experience, which just so happens to come with age. With all his 'experience', Siren is much more likely to win an argument than, say, Mikoro. Think of it this way; young children who argue with their parents often lose the argument. Why? Because the parents have more experience, they're smarter, are capable of applying better logic, and are all around more likely to win the argument. This is almost the same situation; Siren has the mind of a very experienced person, so winning an argument against someone as young as Mikoto or Mikoro is a piece of cake for him. **


	33. Chapter 33

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE! Before you start, I want to let you all know that Aleister might seem a tiny little bit out of character in this chapter. I did my best to explain his motives and reasoning, but in the end, it was kind of a battle of logic vs. Aleister's naturally secretive ways. Logic won. I also ask that you read today's Explanations/Clarifications section (there are only two points that I touched upon at the moment).**

**RESPONSE TO THE GUEST: No, I haven't read them. But, you are right about Siren and his habit of doing things his own way.**

**Chapter 33**

**Third Party Support**

"Now then, for starters, my name is Aleister Crowley. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

Siren stiffened. He knew that name.

_Don't answer him; let him assume we don't know him._

"No? Oh well, whether or not you know who I am is not my concern. My concern is the safety of my city. My concern is the Evolved." He paused. "In the interest of saving time, I'm going to make this simple; I have a plan to stop those creatures and drive them from Academy City. The issue is I need you four—actually, two of you would still work, but four is obviously preferable."

"And we should trust you because…?" Mikoto asked.

"Normally, I wouldn't advise trusting mysterious callers. This, however, is not a normal situation. A race of beings is rising from a deadly virus, intent on extinguishing the human race. The virus itself—a sapient offshoot of it, at least—now resides within my city and is trying to stop the extinction of humanity. No, nothing about this situation is normal."

The others remained quiet, and Aleister continued. "As I said earlier, I have a plan, one that requires at least two of you to survive long enough to drive the Evolved from the city. I can promise that I'll do what I can to ensure all four of you survive, but I can make no guarantees about your survival."

"And you honestly expect us to—" Siren was cut off as Aleister spoke again.

"No, I don't expect you to just jump on board after a few seconds of explaining. That is why I will reveal to you part of my plan, the power I currently hold, and why I need you to help. Once you hear me out, you'll join. Once you join, you'll be informed of the specifics of the plan."

"You seem quite sure of yourself," Kuroko commented.

"I'm sure of my plan. Ask yourselves this; how many Evolved have you managed to kill?"

Siren fought the urge to mention Craig. He wanted to give Aleister as little information as possible until he knew what the man wanted.

"Beside that Craig fellow, none. Now, would you like to know a secret?"

_WHAT? How did he—?!_

Nobody answered Aleister's question.

"I've known about the Evolved for much longer than you think—I knew about them since before Siren here even woke up. You see, I have a much better understanding of what we're up against, and I've been working on a way to defend my city in case of an attack ever since learning about the dangers involved with BLACKLIGHT and REDLIGHT. What I failed to anticipate, however, were the actions of a certain someone; someone I'm sure you all know. His name was Alexander J. Mercer."

Siren could hear Rika growling from her end of the line. "Yes, his actions threw a…monkey wrench in my plans for defending the city. You see, it was because of him that the being known as Ares exists. Actually, it is because of Alexander that the Evolved in general exist. If it weren't for his actions at Penn Station, the Prototype you all know as Alex Mercer wouldn't have been born. However, he was born, and one thing led to another, and now we have Evolved all over our city, and as long as Ares—the second Prototype—is in the city, it isn't safe to confront the Evolved. He's simply too powerful to be killed by the method I had devised. That's where you all—or at least Siren—come in. I have a way for you to kill Ares."

Siren's eyes widened. "You do?"

"I do. And I'm willing to give you what you need to stop Ares, but there will be conditions."

The others hesitated, so Siren spoke up. "First, we want to hear the rest of your plan. Tell us what you have in mind, then we'll start taking terms and conditions."

"I'll tell you what you need to know. The rest will be revealed when and if you join. I—"

"Wait," Rika interrupted. "Is this line secure? How do we know nobody's listening in?"

"Don't worry; I provided these phones myself. They're secure," Aleister said calmly. "Now then, as I was saying, I split the threat of this invasion into two parts; the Evolved, and the lesser Infected—which includes any of the Infected other than the Evolved or Ares. If the Infected are to be stopped, we must first stop the Evolved and Ares."

Siren pulled the phone away from his mouth and turned to the doctor. "Come with me," he hissed as he grabbed the man, dragging him along to an empty room. He pushed the doctor in, walking in behind him and shutting the door. "Stay here," he told him while leaning against the wall.

"After much consideration—and learning that Siren was still in the city—I decided that the best way to beat Ares would be to use another Prototype. Siren, that's your role in the plan, although Rika can offer help there."

Siren snorted. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"So, after looking at the choices available to Academy City at the moment, I'd say our best chance of defeating the Infected—excluding Ares and the Evolved, of course—would be with espers. Unfortunately, most espers simply can't compete with the Evolved or Ares. Once they're out of the way, Academy City's espers will be more than a match for whatever Infected is left behind. Accelerator in particular would be useful."

"Wait a second," Mikoto began. "You know where he is?"

"Indeed. He's outside of Academy City."

Siren's jaw dropped. "He just _left_? Why? Why would he leave?"

"Funny; this coming from you of all people," Mikoto growled.

"I planned on leaving _after_ taking care of things!"

"Ladies, gentlemen, _please_. If you all keep bickering like this, we'll never get anywhere. Anyway, I was the one who sent Accelerator out of Academy City."

Siren blinked. "You what?"

"I decided that Accelerator was simply too important to risk against the Evolved. His powers are too effective for destroying the Infected—he's too significant in the part of the plan dealing with the lesser Infected, so I simply couldn't stand by and let him remain in danger."

"Danger?" Mikoto asked. "That guy? He wasn't in danger! He's insanely strong—maybe even better than Siren!"

Siren snorted.

"Yes, he is powerful," Aleister replied. "But his powers just don't stack up against Ares. As far as I can tell, the only way to kill Ares is to consume him. Accelerator can't do that. It's very possible that he's more powerful than Ares, but without a way to kill Ares, Accelerator won't be able to win. Not to mention that Ares is faster; Accelerator's batteries would run out eventually, and then he'd be an easy meal for Ares. No, leaving Accelerator in Academy City was simply too dangerous. I had him leave temporarily."

"Temporarily?" Siren asked.

"I will explain in a moment. Anyway, the plan to actually defeat the Evolved is rather simple at first. I will give Siren and Rika an…upgrade, which will allow you to overpower the Evolved. Once Siren has consumed enough of the Evolved to take on Ares, he will do so, defeat him—hopefully—and then I will call back Accelerator to help the rest of Academy City's espers deal with the remaining Infected. All the while, I will provide support where I can to make this as easy as possible. Although, easy probably isn't the correct term. Perhaps, it's better to replace it with 'least deadly'."

Siren frowned. "You seem confident that we're willing to follow you blindly," he said slowly.

"To be honest, at first, I planned on having you killed."

Siren narrowed his eyes. "That so? What stopped you?"

"This outbreak. Sadly, the most potent weapon we have against the Evolved is you, at the moment. If Ares and the Evolved weren't here—if it was just the lesser Infected—Accelerator would have been the best man for the job, and you would have become expendable. However, killing you is no longer an option; you have become too important to this city's survival, which reminds me; there's one major condition that I would like you to meet, no matter what happens."

A groan escaped Siren's lips.

_Great, making deals with shady characters. Love it._

"And what might this condition of yours be?" he asked.

"Once the Evolved and Ares are taken care of, you will leave Academy City, and you will not return."

Aleister's statement caught Siren off guard. It seemed to have had a similar effect on the others, as a silence settled over them. "Pardon?"

"Was I not clear? You will help kill the Evolved, and then you will leave. We will never see each other again, and you will refrain from returning to my city."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Mikoto shouted. "Just who do you think you—"

"I am Aleister Crowley, and the city's safety is in my best interest. As long as Siren Mercer remains in the city, there can be no true peace. He's a walking time bomb—the possibility of another outbreak is simply too high with him in the city. More Evolved might come searching for him, he might decide to start a second outbreak, or perhaps he starts a second outbreak by mistake—the point is, as long as he's here, the chance of a second outbreak is much higher than I'd like it to be. To remedy this, he leaves."

Siren was too stunned to reply. He had already planned on leaving, yes, but he didn't think Aleister would make such a demand. "Besides, as far as you're concerned, he's already planning on leaving. I'm just making sure he won't change his mind."

"What about the rest of the Infected?!" Kuroko shouted. "Keeping him here could save _lives_. Less espers would die in the fight against the Infected!"

Aleister sighed. "Allow me to make this as clear as possible; if Siren stays, the one who sent these creatures will come again, and again, and again. This will keep happening until Siren is captured, and Academy City will be destroyed in the process. I have no intention of letting that happen. Besides, as I've stated so many times, once the Evolved are gone, Accelerator will be infinitely more effective at striking down the remaining Infected. To put it simply, he'll be Siren's replacement."

Siren could hear Mikoto and Kuroko growling lightly on their ends. "Ah, before I forget, I should mention this detail; I am giving you much, _much_ more information than I usually would, and this is due to a mixture of desperation and confidence in my ability to destroy you. In other words, you don't want me for an enemy, so don't try to betray me."

Siren slid down into a sitting position, desperately trying to make sense of the situation. Aleister was careful—_too_ careful to slip up and allow Siren to get the better of him.

_Does he really have something that can kill me? Or Rika? Or the others? If he's so confident in his ability to kill a Prototype, why come to us for help?  
_

"Aleister," Siren began. "This…method you devised to beat the Evolved; what was it?"

"None of your concern. Your main concern should be deciding on whether or not you're willing to help beat back the Evolved," Aleister replied. "Now then, I've given you far more information than you actually needed. Here's what we'll do; I will give you an hour to decide on whether or not you're willing to work with me. If you're all on board, I'll fill you in on everything else—the details, the explanations, and whatever else is deemed necessary. So, in one hour, I will call back to hear your answers."

Aleister hung up, and Siren was met with silence and confusion.

_Aleister is dangerous, but we haven't got many choices right now. Our best bet of stopping the Evolved just might lie with him. Still, he gave out far more information than I expected him to. Why? What caused him to do that?_

The Prototype sighed and stood up, directing his gaze at the frog-faced doctor. "Get up; you're going to help us right now," he commanded.

***Page Break***

It took all of four minutes to gather everyone in a single, secure room. Mikoto had insisted on bringing along Touma and Index, a decision Siren disagreed with entirely. However, once Mikoto had explained to Touma what had happened—behind Siren's back, no less—the Prototype had decided to just live with it, seeing as the unlucky teen was already aware of the situation.

"So…why bring the good doctor here?" asked Mikoto. Siren glanced at the man next to him, a look of annoyance creeping onto his pale face. "The 'good doctor' knew that Aleister would call. I'd like to know how far that knowledge of his stretches."

Kuroko was on her feet instantly. "You're _NOT_ consuming—"

"Relax," Siren said while holding his hands up. "I don't plan on consuming him—I just want to ask some questions. The first of which being," he continued while turning to the doctor. "What's Aleister's plan?"

The doctor shook his head. "I can't tell you unless we're sure you're going to help, rather than try to stop us. We figured out by now that you and the Evolved have no love for each other, but we still need to be cautious."

"Allow me to rephrase that for Siren," Mikoro interrupted. "This plan of Aleister's; will it work? How sure are you of its effectiveness?"

"Nothing is certain," replied the doctor. "But it's the best chance we have of surviving their onslaught."

"Aleister doesn't seem too inclined to trust me. What on Earth would posses him to give me a weapon that could stop someone like Ares? Seems a little suspicious," said Siren.

"Believe me; Aleister is not happy with this either. However, desperate situations call for desperate measures. Previous attempts at stopping the Evolved were unsuccessful, so Aleister is resorting to something more extreme—that something being you. Of course, if he could, he'd have given someone like Mikoto or Kuroko the power to stop Ares."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow. "If he could? What's stopping him?"

The doctor sighed. "That's not for me to say. If you join, you'll understand almost immediately, but until then, I can't reveal the details to you."

Kuroko groaned and leaned forward. "I think the big question here is whether or not we're going to work with this guy."

The others nodded. Rika scratched her chin in thought before her eyes shifted to the doctor. "This Aleister guy that you seem to know so much about…is he really trying to protect the city? How do we know he's not going to stab us in the back and turn us over to the Evolved?"

"The presence of the Evolved threatens everything—on both sides of the law—and Aleister wants the Evolved gone. He truly does want to protect the city, even if that means saving the lives of countless criminals. The point here is that you can trust that he'll provide you with what you need to stop the Evolved, and then focus on rebuilding the city."

"Tell me this," Siren began. "How much information is Aleister willing to give up?"

The doctor hesitated before speaking. "He'll tell you everything you need to know about the Evolved and the current situation. Anything else—such as his resources, plans for the future, and the whatnot—stays classified."

Siren glanced at the others. "Well, what do you guys think?" he asked slowly.

The others stopped focusing on him for a moment, choosing to consider the options before them. Mikoto was the first to speak. "I think we're short on options. So far, we haven't been able to actually stop any of the Evolved, so if Aleister has something that will give us the power we need to stop the Evolved, I think we should go for it. We might not get another chance."

"It's…risky," Kuroko began. "But then again, this entire situation has been life-threatening since the beginning. The way I see it, we'll have to go with this and keep our guard up and try to anticipate Aleister's plans for us—if he has anything planned for us after we help him, that is."

Rika groaned. "I'm against it entirely, but at this point, it seems we're going to end up with a majority of us voting for helping Aleister."

"None of us are comfortable with this, you know," Mikoro informed her. "Aleister claims to have something that can help us, and at this point, without that help, I don't think we're going anywhere fast."

Siren let out a breath. "Such misfortune."

Touma snorted. "Welcome to my life."

"Hey, there are a couple hundred-thousand people out there who would shoot me on sight. You wanna trade lives for a few months?" Siren asked.

Touma opened his mouth, but closed it. "Point taken. Oh, and if you ask me, I think we should go along with Aleister's plan. The guy wants to protect our home, so we should be there to protect it too."

"So, we're helping Aleister, then?" Mikoto asked.

"No," Siren said with a hint of annoyance. "We're letting him help us."

Mikoto smirked. "Don't like being used?"

"Name one person who does," Kuroko said with a snort. "Anyway, when did Aleister say he'd call back?"

"We've got…" Mikoro paused as she checked a nearby clock. "About thirteen minutes until he's scheduled to call back. What do we do until then?"

The others paused, wondering what could be done until then. "Truth or dare, anyone?" asked Kuroko, shooting a strange look at Mikoto.

"No thanks," was the unanimous reply.

"Tch! You guys are no fun!"

***Page Break***

Mikoto jumped slightly as their phones began ringing. The others began reaching for their phones now with serious expressions. Siren was the first to answer. "Hello?"

Mikoto picked up as well. "—well? I assume you've reached a conclusion?" Aleister's voice rang in her ear as she picked up. She put her phone on speaker so that Mikoro, Touma, and Index could listen in as well.

Siren glanced at the others, looking for confirmation. They nodded at him. "Yeah, we've come to an agreement here."

"Very good. Now then, I proposed we should work together, and you've come to a decision. What is your answer?"

Siren hesitated, and Rika ended up answering before he could. "We came to the conclusion that working with you is our best chance of stopping the Evolved."

"As I suspected you would."

"Just so we're clear," Mikoto began. "We agreed to work _with_ you, not _for _you. We expect to be filled in on the details of this plan of yours. If you planned on telling us what to do and expecting us to blindly follow, you can count us out."

Siren have her a look of approval, accompanied by a nod, to which Mikoto responded by nodding back. "We…shall see," Aleister replied.

"No, that's not gonna cut it," Rika snapped. "If you want us to help, you tell us what we want to know. Otherwise, find someone else to do your dirty work."

"Perhaps I should have worded that better. I will reveal the plan to you, but certain details—such as where certain bits of information came from, sources, and dates and times—will remain a secret."

Siren snorted. "We shall see."

On his end, Aleister sighed. "Now then, I have the first thing you will need with me right now. I will have it transported to a location of choice where you can come get it."

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, how about more details? And why can't we meet you in person?"

"I would prefer to keep my location a secret—if the Evolved consumed any of you, they'd most surely come for me. As for the details; I'm sending you to pick up one of two…weapons that I have prepared for you. These will aid in stopping the Evolved."

Siren raised an eyebrow. "About these weapons…are we talking literal weapons or—"

"One is actually a bioweapon of sorts."

The group's eyes, save for those of the doctor, widened. Kuroko, being the first to recover, groaned. "Oh come _on_! _Another_ bioweapon?!"

"Do not worry; this one is not going to be released to the public," Aleister replied calmly.

"You better have a good reason for even having this thing," Mikoto growled.

"Blackwatch sent it to me."

Siren practically fell out of his seat in shock, scrambling for the phone he nearly dropped. "Blackwatch?" he hissed, venom dripping from his voice. "What do you have to do with them?"

Aleister sighed. "There are very good reasons explaining my…dealings with the group."

"Better be good ones," Rika growled.

"You want a good reason? Alright, how about this; Blackwatch ended up creating the one and only substance that could harm—and kill—the Infected at a spectacular rate."

The others fell into silence, the idea of such a weapon giving them hope. "And you…have this weapon?" asked Kuroko.

"No. The Evolved do."

…

"Are you kidding me?! The one substance on the _planet_ that can harm the Evolved like that, and _they _have it?!" Siren shouted. "What kind of joke is this?"

"I am not joking. This is the sad truth. Blackwatch made a breakthrough with one of their old, ineffective solutions; the Bloodtox."

"The 'Bloodtox'?" Mikoto asked.

"Think of it as a poison for the Infected. Not too long ago, Blackwatch and Gentek made a breakthrough with the substance, and ended up creating a new version of Bloodtox—one that brought death to the Infected. Blackwatch, overjoyed at the results, quickly built a weapon to use against the Infected."

"Is that the—"

"No, that is not the weapon I'm in possession of. Anyway, the weapon Blackwatch created was a nuclear bomb. However, this one was unique in that it spread a massive cloud of this new Bloodtox. None of the Infected caught in the blast of such a weapon would have survived."

Mikoto's head fell as she realized what Aleister was getting at. "The Evolved found out, didn't they?"

"Unfortunately, yes. The Evolved learned of the weapon and the new Bloodtox, and did everything in their power to find it. Eventually, they found it. After stealing the weapon, the Evolved tracked down every last scientist involved in the creation of the new Bloodtox, and every last person involved in creating the Bloodtox bomb. Now, the only ones who can create the new Bloodtox are the Evolved themselves."

Mikoto watched as Siren's fists clenched, nearly crushing the phone he held. "Damn them," he hissed.

"Blackwatch and Gentek did everything in their power to recreate the Bloodtox, or at least make something similar. Unfortunately, their lead scientists were gone, and with them, so was the Bloodtox. There were, however, some 'semi-successful' creations."

The group perked up at hearing that. "The closest they ever got to recreating the Bloodtox was, ironically, more of an antivirus than a poison for the Infected."

Mikoto thought she saw Siren twitch in a slightly nervous manner. "An…antivirus?" Mikoto frowned. Siren's voice was slightly less confident than usual.

_He's scared that this antivirus will be used against him._

Mikoto's eyes widened as the realization dawned on her. However, before she could say anything, Aleister spoke up. "Don't worry Siren, the antivirus proved to be ineffective against the ever-evolving Infected, so it won't work on you. However, this antivirus was the closest thing Blackwatch had to the Bloodtox they had created before. Unfortunately, nothing they did could get the antivirus to catch up with the otherworldly evolution of the Infected; they simply evolved too quickly to be put down by the antivirus. Every time Blackwatch and Gentek created a new sample of the antivirus, the Infected were already evolved to a new stage."

"This antivirus," Rika began. "What was it called?"

Aleister paused. "It was called WHITELIGHT. This was what Blackwatch sent me so many months ago."

"And you want us to use this ineffective sample of an outdated antivirus against the Evolved?" Kuroko asked.

"Of course not. Did I not just say that it's ineffective? No, you see, Blackwatch sent me the WHITELIGHT hoping that Academy City's technology could improve the antivirus. They were hoping that I could make it powerful enough to stop the Evolved."

"But you didn't, did you?" Siren asked slowly.

"No, I'm afraid not. Although, after many, many hours of work, we were able to create something we thought would work."

"We?" asked Mikoto. "Who's this 'we' you're talking about?"

"That is not something you need to know. To protect those involved with the project, I will keep their names to myself." Aleister paused. "When we thought we had a working sample of WHITELIGHT, we decided to try it out—test it on BLACKLIGHT DNA and see what happened."

Mikoto watched as Siren's eyes widened. "You had BLACKLIGHT DNA?"

"Indeed. It was a sample sent by Blackwatch to help test the WHITELIGHT. It was unique in that it came from one very unique creature. I think you can guess by now who that was."

"Alex Mercer," Rika hissed. "You had his DNA."

"And we tested the WHITELIGHT on it. If the WHITELIGHT could neutralize BLACKLIGHT, we would have had a breakthrough, and we would have been able to eventually create a sample of WHITELIGHT that could replace the lost Bloodtox."

"So…how'd the test go?" Mikoto asked hesitantly.

"The test was…remarkable. The results weren't what we expected in the slightest, but they were truly incredible. You see, it turned out that the WHITELIGHT was highly mutable. When it came into contact with the BLACKLIGHT, the two samples began to, well, merge. At first, it seemed as though the WHITELIGHT was combining with the BLACKLIGHT to try and neutralize it. However, we quickly realized that that wasn't the case. BLACKLIGHT had actually begun to _consume _the WHITELIGHT. The WHITELIGHT was completely absorbed, and we were left with a unique, one of a kind sample of BLACKLIGHT. This is the first weapon I will give you."

"I hope you don't plan on infecting Kuroko and I," Mikoto growled.

Aleister sighed. "Tell me, why are the Evolved so powerful? They aren't Prototypes, but they've shown that they can go toe-to-toe with Siren, despise the fact that he's supposed to be the superior life form. So tell me, what's giving them their power?"

Realization dawned on Siren's face. "The unique DNA they were given by their superiors," he breathed.

"Precisely. We will replicate the results by following their example. Siren, you will consume—or rather, merge with—the sample I will provide. It should produce an effect similar to what happened to the Evolved; that is, you'll become more powerful."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Mikoro shouted. "How is it that fusing an antivirus with the virus made the virus more _powerful_? How do we know you're not going to feed Siren the antivirus and watch him die?"

Aleister didn't reply for a second. "You…sound like Mikoto, but at the same time…hmm…are you one of the clones?"

"You aren't answering the question," Mikoro replied.

Aleister hesitated. "Siren is the virus; surely he can detect an Infected presence. Simply have him look at the sample and determine if it's viral matter or not. Other than that, I'm not sure I can offer you sufficient evidence without putting the team who worked on the project at risk."

Siren looked to be seriously considering the idea, if his expression was anything to go off of. "So I'm supposed to merge with this sample of yours and…evolve?"

"The merging of WHITELIGHT and BLACKLIGHT resulted in the latter using the former to fuel its evolution. Now that the only thing left is an evolved sample of BLACKLIGHT, it's logical to assume that merging it with you will result in something similar."

Siren remained silent for a few moments, so Mikoto spoke up. "What about the second weapon you mentioned? Is it another bioweapon?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Once Siren merges with the sample, there's a small—almost nonexistent—chance that the second weapon won't be necessary."

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "You seem reluctant to share."

"Forgive my hesitance; the idea of giving powerful weapons to someone like Siren doesn't fill me with excitement."

Rika snorted. "Look, somebody who's actually thinking straight."

"Then why give the weapon to Siren of all people?" Mikoto asked suspiciously.

"Because he's the only one who can actually consume other creatures. Unless you're volunteering to abandon humanity and fuse with the virus, becoming a Prototype—which is highly unlikely, given the virus' unpredictable nature—I'm afraid there are no other candidates."

Siren frowned. "Nice to know you all trust me so much."

"You have no one to blame but yourself. Now then, do we have a deal? I'll provide you with a location and time, you'll retrieve the weapon, make use of it, and if need be, I'll provide the second weapon," Aleister explained.

"Wait," Siren began. "Back at that Evolved headquarters, we found evidence of a break in. Was that someone you sent?"

Aleister hesitated. "Yes."

"And what was it that you were after?" Rika questioned.

Again, Aleister stayed silent for a moment. "Well," Mikoto growled. "We're waiting."

"I'm afraid that that information is none of your concern. Should it affect the plan, I will inform you all. So, if that is all, do we have a deal? Are you ready to retrieve the weapon?"

The others looked to each other. As far as they were concerned, they had already agreed to this, so with a second of delay, Siren replied. "Yeah, we've got a deal. Tell us what we need to know."

***Page Break***

A certain frog-faced doctor watched as the group left the room. They had about half an hour to rest and prepare for their trip to Aleister's chosen location. The man had explained to them what they needed to know, and with each passing second, the doctor was more and more surprised with the amount of information Aleister had offered.

"Your behavior here was unusual today," the doctor said into his own phone when he was sure that the others had left. "I can't say I'm used to seeing you offer so much information on something so significant."

"We're running out of time," Aleister replied. "This is no time for riddles and tests; the situation is slowly growing beyond our control, and unless we do something immediate, we will all perish."

"Still, it was odd seeing you so open with someone we know so little about, but I understand. By the way, you haven't told me what it was your operative retrieved from that headquarters."

A pause. "We're…not entirely sure. The documents seem to outline one of the Evolved's notes on the virus, the Infected, and the Evolved. However, much of his notes are indecipherable, and we're still working on trying to figure out what he was getting at. So far, we can confirm there are notes on the transformation from human to Evolved."

"I…see. Why was this too important to tell the others?"

"Because I don't trust that boy, and I never will. Power corrupts, and with every creature he consumes, his power grows. If he consumes all the Evolved in Academy City, along with Ares, and whoever is behind all this, I fear that boy will lose his mind. I want to give him as little information as possible to ensure that his knowledge of me is minimal."

"What then? What if he goes insane?"

Aleister sighed. "We'd have to find a way to kill him. Until then, the best we can do is hope that he keeps himself—and the Evolved—in check. Worst case scenario: we'll have to resort to using Accelerator, and any other Level 5 esper we can find, to kill Siren Mercer."

The doctor sighed. "I pray it doesn't come to that."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Accelerator: I'm going to say this right now; I love Accelerator as a character. Honestly, he's more interesting than Touma in some ways, and I would've gone out of my way to watch an anime with him as the main protagonist (if such an anime exists, tell me, please), and it's because I enjoy his character so much that I had Aleister send him away. It's pretty self-explanatory, but just to be sure everyone gets it, I'll explain it again. Accelerator may be extremely powerful, but in a fight against someone like Ares, it's a question of 'can Ares survive Accelerator's attacks long enough for Accelerator to drop from exhaustion or for his choker to run out of power?". The answer is yes, Ares' durability would carry him through the fight, and when Accelerator can't fight any longer, Ares would finish him off. I didn't want to include Accelerator in a fight only to have him killed, so I created a valid reason for him to be missing. Whether or not he'll play a major part in this story later on has yet to be decided. **

** Aleister: This has been said in the actual story, but I want to make this super clear. I had Aleister act so openly (hand out a lot of information) out of desperation. I thought about letting him play Siren and the others and have them go on a wild goose chase for a while to make sure they were truly on his side, but while it might have made for an interesting twist, it wouldn't have been logical. Aleister wants the Evolved gone, and the fastest way to do it would have been to be direct with Siren and the others to make sure they knew what to do. **


	34. Chapter 34

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**TO DEAD SALVATION: Maybe I am, maybe I'm not—the point is that Aleister isn't completely positive that Accelerator can defeat a Prototype like Ares. Since Siren is still in the city, Aleister wants to use Siren to stop the Evolved/Ares, all while saving Accelerator for the battle that comes after the Evolved are gone. When they're out of the way, Siren will be gone, and Accelerator will be able to mop the floor with the remaining Infected. **

**TO THE GUEST: Actually, giving the sample to Touma makes very little sense. Upon infection, a subject's condition isn't entirely predictable. Most likely, they'd die. If not that, then the next most likely outcome is that they become an Infected (one of the mindless ones). If not that, then they'd become an Evolved, which is incredibly rare, and if not that, they'd become a Prototype, and in the two games, we've only ever seen two subjects become Prototypes upon infection (Mercer and Heller). But, Alex Mercer technically died and the virus gained sapience by consuming him, thus becoming a Prototype, so technically speaking, the only person to go from human to Prototype was James Heller. So, giving the sample to Touma would most likely kill him, and even if he 'survived', the chance of him actually becoming a Prototype is miniscule. And if by some miracle he was transformed into a Prototype, he'd be weaker than Siren since he hasn't actually consumed anyone or anything, and getting up to Siren's level, let alone Ares', would take a lot of time—time that the group doesn't have. Also, sorry to disappoint you with the lack of Touma (I can tell that you like his character). Finally, the virus seems so crazy because there are a lot of [Prototype] stories, and most people reading this story have probably played at least one of the [Prototype] games, so they've already seen the virus in action. I gave the viruses more power in this story so that they'd feel a little fresher to people who've put many hours into the games and/or read the comics.**

**Chapter 34**

**WHITELIGHT**

Siren let out a breath as he, Rika, Mikoto, and Kuroko appeared on a rooftop. Kuroko turned to Mikoto, and the electric esper nodded. Kuroko returned the gesture and teleported away, leaving the three to set out.

"Alright, that building right there is where Aleister's guys should be waiting for us with the sample," Rika began, pointing to a short, abandoned building that looked like it had long since started falling apart. "I'm ready for this, how about you guys?"

Siren nodded. "As ready as I'll get."

"Let's get this over with," Mikoto replied.

Rika stepped off the side of the rooftop, allowing herself to fall to the ground. Siren picked Mikoto up, and stepped off as well, making sure to keep Mikoto high above his lower body to ensure she wasn't injured during the landing. After landing, he put her down, and the three began looking around.

The road was very clear in comparison to the rest of the city. The area didn't have many inhabitants to begin with, so the amount of Infected stumbling around was low. Siren grabbed his phone and quickly called Mikoro. "Hello?" he asked as someone picked up.

"Mikoro here," replied the familiar voice. "What's up?"

"Double checking everything. You've got eyes on the streets leading to the building we'll be in?"

"Yup. If anyone tries to get to you by using the streets, I'll have a good view of them. However, if they go by the rooftops—which I'm kinda expecting—I might not see them until they're right on top of the building you'll be in. Sorry, but the camera angles are limited, and there are plenty of rooftops that are simply outside my line of sight."

"That's fine," Siren assured. "At least we have someone keeping an eye on things out here in case someone decides to crash the party. Or betray us."

Siren heard Mikoro sigh. "I'm hoping nothing happens, but…be careful—all three of you—and watch out for each other. If you're betrayed, your only friends in there will be Rika and Mikoto."

Siren grunted in response before hanging up. He turned to the two girls with him and nodded, gesturing to the building where they were supposed to meet with Aleister's men and retrieve the sample. Siren activated his Thermal Vision, looking the building over. "I count four heat signatures," he informed the others. "Either Aleister told the truth about the number of men he sent, or there are more hiding behind objects that I can't see through."

"Well," Mikoto began. "I suppose the only way to find out for sure is if we go in there, and get that sample."

"Yes, I suppose so," Siren replied with a frown. They continued walking forward, quickly nearing the building. All three of them were glancing around, searching for anything that might be out of place. They stopped at an old door, giving their surroundings one last check before slowly stepping into the building.

Cobwebs hung from every corner of the building, spiders crawled along the walls, and old boxes and crates covered the majority of the floor. Siren frowned as he felt a thin web stick to the left side of his face. He pulled it off and threw it away with little thought. Unfortunately, it seemed that Rika wasn't as quick to brush aside something like a cobweb.

"Damn it!" she hissed. "I think I got some of this crap in my hair. Stupid spiders," she growled while ruffling her hair and trying to remove whatever webs may have entangled themselves in her hair.

Mikoto was lucky enough to not walk into any webs, so she was busy giggling at Rika's reaction to the webs. Siren walked past the two, eyeing the far end of the room. He noticed that the area he was looking at seemed to have less crates, leading him to believe that the far end of the room had been cleaned out to make way for the meeting that was about to happen.

Siren could hear low, slow breathing from the area he was looking at. Frowning, he took a step forward, glaring into the darkness. It took him less than a second to realize that there was a pair of eyes glaring back. "You must be part of Aleister's team. Where are the others?" asked Siren.

The figure jerked his head towards his right, then his left, and Siren noticed more pairs of eyes staring back at him. "Rika, Mikoto," he called. The two were by his side before he could say anything, both eyeing the men who were guarding what Aleister had promised to deliver. "I assume you have our weapon?" asked Rika.

No verbal response came. Instead, one of the pairs of eyes began getting closer and closer, until a figure stepped out of the shadows. His clothing was entirely black, and obviously meant to withstand a small-to-moderate beating, if the bulletproof vest he wore was anything to go by.

Siren and the girls immediately noticed the firearm that the man carried. It looked like a large, white assault rifle. The model was one that Siren was unfamiliar with, and there was a green skull symbol on the magazine. His first thought was that the bullets the rifle used were meant to be more effective against the Infected.

_If that barrier Aleister set up is anything to go by, he can make anti-Infected tools._

It hadn't taken Siren long to figure out that Aleister was behind the barrier that guarded the hospital. When curiosity overcame him, he talked to the doctor who had informed him of Aleister's call, and confirmed it. Aleister was behind the anti-Infected technologies in Academy City, and was the one who gave Anti-Skill a helping hand when it came to fighting the Infected.

_He's dangerous, has access to devices created to keep me at bay, and he doesn't trust me at all; that can be a fatal combination. _

The other guards stepped into the light, each wearing the same protective clothing and carrying the same weapon. Siren glanced between them, counting four in total. Two of the men were holding up a rectangular metal container.

One of the men reached up to a pair of goggles on his head and flicked them over his eyes. After looking the three of them over, he turned to his team, jerking his head toward Siren, Mikoto, and Rika.

"What did you just do?" asked Mikoto.

The man grunted, but didn't reply. Mikoto frowned, glancing at Siren. The silver-haired teen just shrugged. "I'd assume they're checking for signs of infection. How they created a device that allows the wearer to see the virus is beyond me."

The man who checked them over turned to Siren. "You're not Siren Mercer," he said with narrowed eyes as the other men pointed their weapons at them. Siren's eyes widened. "What?! What are you talking about?!"

Rika and Mikoto turned to him, shocked looks on their faces. "_Real_ Mercer with us; captured him," continued the man, pointing his weapon at Mikoto. Siren realized that the man was about to pull the trigger, and sprang toward Mikoto, putting himself between her and the man as fast as he could. Rika had done the same, moving to block the man's shot, knowing that she could survive a bullet at this range.

Siren blinked when no shot came. Instead, the men studied him, Mikoto and Rika stared on in confusion and anger, and Siren looked ready to kill someone. Suddenly, the man lifted the gun and turned to his team. "Real ones," he said, gesturing to Siren and Rika.

"WHAT THE _FUCK_ WAS THAT?!" Siren roared.

The man shrugged. "Test. Meant to check if you were Evolved in disguise."

Siren was at a loss for words, so he opted to stare at the man in confusion. "What?" he asked again. One of the other men sighed and stepped forward. "There was no sure way to check if you were the real Siren and Rika, since you're both already showing signs of the virus, and asking questions wouldn't have made a difference, because if you were Evolved, you'd have the memories you'd need to answer questions. We figured that if you were Evolved and thought we had the real Mercer, you'd try to consume us right away and find out what you can. And if she," he gestured to Mikoto, "was about to get shot, an Evolved wouldn't try to save her, since those punks want her dead too."

The three stared at the men in shock. "You do realize how faulty that test is…right?" asked Rika.

One of the men shrugged. "Best we could do on short notice. Besides, you try figuring out if someone is an Evolved or not if they're _already infected. _Detecting the virus wouldn't have helped us in that kind of situation."

Siren shook his head and sighed. "I hope you understand that if you shot Mikoto here, Kuroko would have become a bigger problem than the Evolved."

"Wasn't going to shoot," grunted the man who had pointed the gun at Mikoto. "Here to deliver package; need to make sure Evolved don't get it. You take package or not?"

"Gifted speaker," muttered Mikoto.

Siren let out another sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "Let me see this sample of yours and then I'll decide if I'm going to…merge with it." The man in front nodded and snapped his fingers. The two men holding the case put it on the ground and went through the long, complex process of unlocking it. Once open, Siren had a view of a large, well-protected tube that was a little larger than a brick. The container was made almost entirely of a silver metal, with four long, thin strips of glass running alone the sides, each spaced several inches apart. Through the glass, he could see green light shining through. Black caps were on both ends of the tube, and one of them had a blue, digital screen built into it.

Siren hesitated, turning to the others and letting out a breath. "If I die, do me a favor and make Aleister regret it." The two girls looked at each other before looking back to Siren, unsure expressions on their faces. Siren rolled his eyes. "Or at least tell the others I said it's been fun."

This time, Mikoto nodded, stepping forward as she did so. "Whatever happens, whatever you may…turn into—if you change physically at all—remember; if you go crazy, try not to attack us. It'd suck if we had to beat you into the ground."

"Come on, we both know you kinda want to," Siren replied. Mikoto shrugged. "After that little incident of yours with the men in the truck, yeah, I kinda do."

Siren turned back to the men and held out his hand. "I'm ready. Let's get this over with." One of the men stepped forward, putting the tube into Siren's hands. "Girls," Siren called, catching their attention. "Get to the far end of the building and keep an eye on us. If these guys decide to betray us, be prepared to get shot at. If they plan on doing anything, they'll do it while I'm vulnerable and unable to fight back."

The man who seemed to be the leader smirked. "Problem with Evolved, not you. Merge, kill Evolved, _leave_."

Siren snorted. "Don't order me around, _human_. I'd suggest standing back and—actually, why don't you leave? Then I don't have to worry about you possibly betraying us." The man shook his head. "Can't. Ordered to make sure all goes well. Supposed to try and save your life if you start dying."

"Appreciate the effort," Siren replied. "But I'd feel a lot more comfortable knowing you can't shoot my teammates without running into the room first. Either leave for a few minutes while I merge and come back to check up on us, or put down your weapons and stand back. Either way, you might want to stand back."

The men looked between each other, but didn't move. Siren groaned. "Come on, we've already established that I'm not Evolved, so what's it matter if you see me merge then report the results, or just report the results?"

"Can't be sure with freaks like you," replied the leader. "Never believed in shape shifting monsters as kid." The men spread out his hands and gestured at everything around him. "Look at city now."

Siren sighed. "Fair enough. Rika, Mikoto! If these guys try to betray us, take at least one of them alive."

"Roger," replied Rika.

Siren gulped, staring down at the tube. He looked at the digital screen on one end of the tube frowning. "The code?" he asked, turning to the men.

"Resets every time someone opens the tube. Right now, it's three—"

"Hold on," Siren interrupted, holding up his hand. "Three," he muttered while pressing his finger against the keypad. "Alright."

"Five, six, seven, nine, nine, one, four, eight, six, three," finished the man. Siren punched in the last number just as the man finished telling him the code. The top of the tube slid upward with a hiss, revealing a second, transparent tube that held a grey substance. He carefully slid the second tube out of the larger, metal one, whose inner walls were glowing a bright green. Siren allowed the thick, transparent tube to slide onto his palm, and immediately noticed the black cap built into the bottom of the tube. A set of long, thin wires ran from it into the bottom of the larger, metal tube.

Siren glanced up at the men. "I assume just smashing the tube won't work?"

"Twist the bottom of the metal tube," replied one of the men.

"Clockwise or—"

"Counterclockwise."

Siren nodded, twisting the bottom of the metal tube. It clicked before sliding out a little, causing him to frown. "Press down on that button you just created three times, wait for two seconds, then press down four times."

Siren did so, and on the fourth press, the bottom of the inside of the metal tube popped out, allowing him to pull the inner tube out. Once out, he took a look at the white cap that had come out of the metal tube. He groaned when he saw a second digital keypad.

"The majority of all these security measures wouldn't have kept the Evolved out if they got a hold of this," he muttered. "What's the code?"

"We know it wouldn't work on the Evolved," growled one of the men. "Just because the Evolved are the main enemy doesn't mean that human enemies wouldn't try to steal the sample. It was protected like that before the Evolved even got here."

"At least your superior handled this with care. Now, the code?"

"Seven, seven, two, one, four, six, eight, zero, two, two, four." As Siren hit the final number, the black cap on the tube clicked and twisted slightly. Slowly, he reached for it and unscrewed it, finally opened the tube, and stared down at the grey substance.

"So…this is it," said Siren. "The moment of truth; will I evolve after merging with this, or will I die?"

"Should drink it," grunted the leader of the guards. "Should be fastest, most effective way."

Siren took one last look back at Rika and Mikoto, giving them a slight nod before turning back to the men. He then brought the tube to his lips, tilting his head back and allowing the grey substance to pour into his mouth and down his throat. It was more of a thick, glue-like substance, rather than a runny, water-like substance.

He shut his eyes as the rest of the substance poured down his throat. When the tube was empty, he threw it to one of the men, who stumbled forward to catch it. Siren blinked as his vision began blurring. Suddenly, the world was becoming a massive splash of dull colors, and before he knew it, Siren was doubling over, coughing and choking as he felt the BLACKLIGHT/WHITELIGHT mix spreading through him like wildfire.

He felt a thick, glue-like substance—which he assumed to be the BLACKLIGHT/WHITELIGHT mix—seeping through his skin. He felt it covering his hands, face, and before long, it was seeping through his clothing too. He felt his entire body being incased in a shell of sorts, reminding him of a set of armor. It filled his mouth, cutting off his coughing and the choking noises he was making.

He fell to his knees, one hand shooting out and slamming into the floor, holding him up, while the other was wrapped around his waist. He felt his own body begin to unwind in a mass of tentacles, the grey substance wrapping around each tentacle as his body turned into a large, human-sized blender of sorts.

His tentacles began swirling around, and he felt his body losing its human shape. His legs began turning into masses of tentacles, which the BLACKLIGHT/WHITELIGHT mix clung to. His upper body quickly followed, and he quickly lost sight, hearing, and his sense of smell as his eyes, nose, and ears were reduced to writhing tentacles.

Then, he felt as though his entire body began melting, slowly sinking and falling to the ground. He was barely holding himself up now, and he assumed he looked like a gorilla with its lower half missing. As his neck weakened and mixed with what was left of his head and shoulders, he felt his 'head' bowing forward, unable to hold itself upright.

He would have grunted if he could, but the lack of a mouth made it difficult. For almost a minute, he felt his entire body melting, being reduced to an oddly colored puddle on the floor. Then, just before what was left of his head, shoulders, and chest could sink into the puddle that his body was forming, he felt…better.

Strength and control began to return to him, and Siren slowly began rebuilding his biomass into his human shape. He started with his hands, and worked up to his arms and shoulders. His right arm took a human shape first, and though it still looked like a melted human limb, he lifted it up and slammed it down on the floor with a wet splat, spreading his fingers out to gain as much support as possible.

With one hand in place, he repeated the motion with his other arm, slowly steadying himself. Next, he began reforming his chest and lower body. He felt the puddle that was his legs coming together and binding, quickly forming a set of makeshift legs. Right now, he imagined he looked like black-grey and red snowman that was falling apart and melting in the sun.

He slowly began rising to his feet, desperately pulling his biomass into its normal position. His legs began taking normal shape, followed by his waist, chest, and arms. His head become more of a sphere and less of a ball of gelatinous viral matter. His body lurched forward, and his left leg shot out to steady him.

His clothing was beginning to form over his body, while the biomass on his head began twisting, turning, snapping, tearing, and reforming as his head and facial features were rebuilt. He felt his mouth open—far wider than a human's ever could. Suddenly, it felt as though his mouth had opened so far that his face was just a massive, gaping hole. A gurgling sound made its way past his throat, and he heard his voice—twisted and warped by the improper structure of his body—echo through the building.

He shut his mouth as best as he could, feeling his body gaining more and more of its original shape back with every passing second. Biomass swirled around him, forming clothes and rebuilding his regular outfit.

The biomass tightened, becoming harder and more stable as his skin formed and began regaining its deathly pale color. He felt his facial features reforming, and the senses of smell and hearing returned to him. His fingers were taking proper shape, and he could flex his hand to an extent.

His head tilted back, and another gurgling sound emerged from his half-formed mouth. He felt the rest of his body finally regain its human shape, and he could somehow feel the color returning to his clothing. His sight returned without warning, and the world exploded into dull colors as he stared up at the dark ceiling.

Slowly, he tilted his head forward, making eye contact with the men that were staring at him. Several of them had beads of sweat rolling down their faces. Siren also noticed that they held their weapons more tightly, and they were slightly raised, pointing at him.

Despite the circumstances, Siren offered them a grin, causing them to flinch. Siren let out a low chuckle at their reactions. He found it slightly satisfying that he could unnerve them so easily, even though they were ordering him around a few minutes ago.

"You look…unnerved," he commented, his grin shrinking to a smirk.

"Unusual," said the leader while looking Siren up and down. "Uncommon to see man melt."

Siren didn't reply at first. Instead, he was looking down at his hands and marveling at the feeling of sheer…_power_.

_This…this is the best I've felt since waking up. Stolen memories aside, this is hands down the best shape I've ever been in._

A large grin worked its way back onto his face.

_I can DO this! I can consume the Evolved, I can kill Ares, I can get back my memories, and I can end this whole nightmare!_

He looked back to the guards, the grin not leaving his face. "I would assume so. Now, I've got a few worried teammates I need to reassure, so tell Aleister he can call back when the rest of us are safe and secure." Siren snorted. "Have fun describing this to your superiors."

"All on video," said the guards' leader. Siren raised an eyebrow. "On video? What did you record with? I didn't notice anything."

One of the guards let a small smirk touch his lips. "Mechanical contacts on our eyes; report audio and visuals to a computer."

Siren didn't have time to reply before the guards' leader spoke up. "Expect call. Don't rush into anything."

Siren nodded. "Yes, yes, just go show the video you took to your superior and tell him to get on with it. I've got Evolved to consume."

Siren turned around, walking away from the guards with his hands in his pockets. He saw Rika and Mikoto at the far end of the building, eyeing him. He walked up to them, spreading his hands out. "Well, it's done. I've merged with Aleister's sample."

Rika and Mikoto glanced at each other. "And…how do you feel?" asked Mikoto.

Siren smirked. "Honestly, I've never felt better in my life—and I've experienced a lot of pleasant memories, even if none of them were mine."

Mikoto snorted. "That explains this confidence boost I'm seeing."

"So…it worked? You're stronger now?" Rika asked slowly.

Siren shrugged. "I certainly _feel_ stronger. However, that doesn't mean I've actually gotten any more powerful. I'm almost positive there have been some big changes, but one can never be too careful."

Rika sighed. "Alright then, I guess we're going back to the hospital and waiting for Aleister's call."

"Don't' worry," Siren began. "This whole deal with the Evolved will be over soon, and we can all get back to our lives. Actually, the espers will be fighting the remaining Infected, I'll be hunting down whoever is behind all this, and you are…"

"Haven't decided yet," Rika muttered. "Come on, we need to get back." Siren and Mikoto both nodded, following the black-haired girl out of the building.

***Page Break***

Touma frowned as Siren and the others walked into the room he, Index, and Mikoro were occupying. Siren looked unusually glad, while Mikoto and Rika were watching him as though they expected him to do something unpleasant.

_Like attack._

Touma pushed the thought from his mind and shook his head. "So…I guess it went well?"

"As far as I can tell," Mikoto began. "Our local sapient virus just got a massive confidence boost."

"You said that already," Rika said dryly.

"The _point_," Siren interrupted. "Is that I seem to have become more powerful. Taking down the Evolved should be considerably easier, now that we've got a major advantage."

"Wait a second," Mikoro began, stopping Siren and catching everyone's attention. "Have you made sure you're actually more powerful? For all we know, Aleister gave you a drug that makes you feel as though you're on top of the world and we're about to rush out there, get killed, and the Evolved win."

Siren frowned. "You're…right. I guess we should at least make sure I've become a little more powerful since—" He paused as their phones all began ringing simultaneously. He reached for the device, frowning as he realized who was calling them.

"Aleister," he answered as he picked up the device. "Wasn't expecting to hear from you this soon."

"I have to say, that was quite the spectacle. I see you reacted rather well to the sample I offered."

"Yeah, you could say that," Siren replied.

"Well then, now that you have your newfound strength, we should begin—"

"I've got a few questions first," Mikoto interrupted. "First off, how do we know Siren's actually stronger?"

Aleister seemed to pause. "Can he not…feel it? Surely he _felt _the changes taking place. As far as I know, he said he felt better than ever after merging. Does that not imply that he's more powerful?"

"Drug addicts might feel amazing for a while, but they're not necessarily more powerful," said Mikoro.

"I have no way for you to test your new powers. If you're unsure, go into the next mission assuming you're as powerful as you were before, and slowly test the limits of your power. As long as you don't overestimate yourself, you'll be fine."

"Oh, and about the second weapon you offered," Mikoto cut in. "When exactly do we get that?"

Aleister sighed. "If—mind you, that's a very big 'if'—you can all make do without it and defeat the Evolved, there's no need to bring out the second weapon. If you can't, then I'll give it to you so that you can win. Otherwise, the sample is all I'm giving you for now. Besides, judging by the words and actions of Siren here, I'd assume your chances of defeating the Evolved have risen. Though by how much, I cannot say."

"Tch! That was helpful," muttered Rika. "Any more wonderfully informative information you can give us?"

"I can tell you that I can expel you from Academy City as well, Miss Kazari."

Rika shut her mouth, growling slightly. Touma found himself frowning at Aleister's words. Would he really force Rika to leave Academy City?

"Now then, if we're done arguing, I'd suggest you listen; I'm about to explain to you the next move. First, I'd like to say that the Evolved we'll be targeting first will be Luke," Aleister explained.

"Finally, someone who sees Luke for the threat he is," Siren muttered.

"Anyway, if we're going to take down one of the Evolved, we have to make sure we can separate him from the others long enough for Siren to consume him. I'd suggest having him teleported to a secure location, but Kuroko is currently injured and letting her near an Evolved will only work if he's completely distracted or pinned down. And since Kuroko isn't immune to the virus…"

"The chance of infection is pretty high if Luke decides to pull something," Kuroko muttered. "So far, it has been difficult to get close to any of the Evolved long enough to concentrate and teleport away with them. If I lay my hands on one of them to teleport away, they'll notice, and if they're fast enough, they can interrupt me before I can teleport away," Kuroko explained.

"Which is why that's not the plan," Aleister replied. "The best option we have is creating a diversion that draws the attention of the Evolved and Ares. Once they're all heading there, we can intercept one of them—preferably Luke—and finish him off while the others are confused."

"One problem; we need a diversion that's big enough to draw their attention and keep them enthralled to the point where they won't notice when one of their teammates isn't responding," said Mikoto. "Or, we need to let them think said teammate is already there and injured—or worse—and that they need to rush over there and help."

"For a long time, the Evolved have been chasing Siren, correct? Well, had it not been for you and Kuroko, they probably would have caught him by now. The point is that they've realized that as long as someone with Kuroko's powers is alive, Siren will have a walking escape route. On top of that, they know Mikoto is capable of providing powerful cover fire with her lightning, which can cover said escapes..."

"Wait a second! You want us to be _bait_?!" Kuroko growled.

"The short answer is yes. We have to give the Evolved a big enough reason to go to a certain area and stay focused on one thing long enough for Siren and Rika to ambush one of them. While those two are taking down Luke, Mikoto and Kuroko will have to keep the rest of the Evolved distracted."

"How exactly are we supposed to do that?" asked Kuroko.

"Mikoto can fire blasts of electricity, which we know can damage the Evolved. All you need to do is keep Mikoto far enough away from the Evolved so that they can't attack you, but close enough so that Mikoto can still shoot at them," Aleister explained. "It's simplicity in itself; you teleport around with Mikoto, who shoots at the Evolved. You're their enemies, and you'll anger them with the constant shooting, which will make them lose track of their teammates."

"Yeah, except you forgot that those guys aren't exactly 'slow'," Siren barked. "If they try to flank Kuroko and Mikoto, they might cut them off and get the jump on them. I don't think I need to explain what happens if they're caught."

"We don't have many options here," Aleister replied. "We need bait that's tempting enough to draw their attention."

Mikoto frowned. "Why not use that Leader Hydra thing?"

Rika's eyes widened. "Oh yeah! That would make a perfect diversion!"

"I'm sorry, the what?" asked Aleister. "I don't understand what you're referring to."

"I'm sure you've seen it," Mikoto began. "It's this giant Infected that looks like it has worms for arms and mouths for hands."

"I…believe I know what you're talking about now; I simply never heard anyone call it a 'Leader Hydra'."

"Well, now you know what it is. Can we use that instead of Mikoto and I?" asked Kuroko. "It may even draw more attention than we could."

"You could, but…there's a problem. How do you plan on drawing it out?"

The others hesitated, looking between each other. "I guess we could…"Siren trailed off, realizing they had no sure way of drawing it out.

"I'm sorry, but if you have no effective way of drawing out this Leader Hydra, then we can't use it. I'm afraid we will have to make do without it," said Aleister.

Mikoto groaned. "Great, the one time we need that fat thing, and it's off doing who-knows-what."

"I understand your frustrations, but you must set them aside for now. In the meantime, see if you can use those cameras you were setting up to find Luke. I will do the same, and if I find him, I will contact you and keep track of him. Once we're ready, I'll send you his location so we can decide where to have the girls start their diversion, and then we can begin with the distraction."

Siren ran a hand through his hair.

_Soon. Soon this'll be all over and I can get out of this damned city and go my own way. _

***Page Break***

"You did _what_?!"

"Doctor," Aleister began. "Please keep your voice down. You're in a public area down there."

"Aleister," continued the doctor. "You're risking the lives of two very powerful espers. Just use that Hydra creature!"

"I already told them that's—"

"You're risking their lives to hide a resource of yours! If you told them that you were the one who had that creature created, they would have been angry, yes, but if they found out you lied to them, Mikoto and Kuroko at least would be livid. They'd be furious that you allowed that thing to survive!"

"And then they'd probably try to kill it. No, we must keep the 'Leader Hydra', as they called it, a secret. Once this is all taken care of, we can put it back in its cage, and when we're sure the threat of the Evolved, the Prototypes, and whatever else the virus spawned is gone, we can dispose of it. But until then, the Leader Hydra stays a secret."

The frog-faced doctor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Honestly," he groaned. "This outbreak seems to be bringing out the worst in some people."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Aleister's Hydra: Why reveal it? Because it was kinda obvious. Why have Aleister hide it? Because he's confident that the situation can be dealt with without the Leader Hydra, now that he's given away his sample of the WHITELIGHT/BLACKLIGHT mix. **

** Slow Chapter: I apologize for another slower chapter, but we're setting up for the fights against the Evolved and Ares.**

** FUN FACT: Siren's merging scene was based off the scene in Dragon Ball Z where Super Buu absorbs Piccolo and Gotenks. **


	35. Chapter 35

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE, PLEASE READ: Ok, so, as of late, I noticed the number of reviews rising, but I couldn't actually see them. It took days for them to show up, and I have no idea why. So, I'm going to apologize now to anyone who's left a review with a question and never received an answer. If you left a question and are waiting for an answer but aren't getting one, it may very well be because I **_**can't see your review**_**. If anyone knows a quick fix, please tell me. Otherwise, expect delayed responses to reviews. **

**GUEST: Once I could actually see them, I read a review somewhere along the line that asked about various technologies from Academy City that I've failed to mention. The technologies have been excluded mainly for balancing reasons. The outbreak in Academy City wouldn't be very interesting if someone in Academy City could push a button and watch as all the Infected fell apart. **

**Chapter 35**

**Attack on Evolved**

Mikoto glanced at Kuroko as the two stepped to the edge of the rooftop. Infected stumbled about below them, and the occasional Flyer flapped around in the distance. Mikoto slowly reached for the earpiece that Aleister had provided. Kuroko mirrored her actions, using her good hand to reach for the device.

Mikoto pressed the button on the earpiece, activating it."We're ready," she said.

"Excellent," replied Aleister. "Is everyone else in position?"

"All set to intercept Luke," said Siren after a moment's delay.

"I've got eyes on Luke," said Rika. "He's moving west right now, so I'd suggest getting the ball rolling before he gets too far."

"And I've got eyes on both Rika and Luke," said Mikoro. "The cameras are a little buggy, through; we might have to replace them some time."

"Alright," said Aleister. "The female Evolved is close enough to see Mikoto's lightning, so if anything, she'll probably be the first to get to the girls."

"Just don't kill her," Rika growled. "Clara's mine."

Kuroko took a shaky breath and turned to Mikoto. "Well, I guess it's time to start taking back the city," she said with a small smile. "I'm counting on you, Onee-sama, so don't let me down."

Mikoto offered her a grin. "Don't worry, Kuroko. Just stay focused and let me handle the shooting." Kuroko nodded and stepped back, deactivating her earpiece as Mikoto calmed herself.

The others hung up as well, waiting for Mikoto to begin. The electric esper raised both hands, shutting both eyes as lightning built up around her arms. She allowed her fury to surface, thinking of all the damage caused by the Evolved. With a roar, she sent a massive ball of electricity at the ground, aiming at a large crowd of Infected.

***Page Break***

Clara jerked around, eyes widening at the blue light rising in the distance, accompanied by the sound of an explosion. She could see lightning reaching up to the sky from the area where the explosion was, and a grin worked its way onto her mouth.

"The electric esper," she breathed, reaching up to her earpiece. "Look alive boys, I think I've found a certain aggressive ball of lightning."

At first, there was nothing. However, after a second, a voice broke through. "What?" asked Laren. Clara rolled her eyes. "The electric esper; I'm pretty sure I found her."

"Where?" demanded a new voice—Ares.

"We're east of the hospital where everyone seems to be hiding out. The girl's easy to spot—the fuck is she doing?"

"What? What's happening?" asked Ares.

"There are electrical explosions going off all over the place. It looks like that esper has gone insane—she's just blasting everything."

"Get over to her, now!" shouted Ares. "We need to figure out what she's doing, and stop her. If you can, consume her. Call for backup if you need it. Grevin, Luke, Laren; you're to await further orders. Listen for Clara's call."

"Roger," said Grevin.

"Got it," replied Laren.

Luke only grunted in response.

Clara laughed as she launched herself forward, gliding over buildings as she made her way to the massive bursts of electricity in the distance.

***Page Break***

"Something's wrong," said Mikoro. Her sudden outburst startled Kuroko and Mikoto, causing them to jump. "What's wrong?" Kuroko hurriedly asked.

"Luke talked into his earpiece, but he's not moving. It looks like he's waiting for something."

"As far as I can tell," Aleister cut in. "Clara is on her way. It seems that reinforcements won't arrive unless there's a reason for them to do so."

"So…" Mikoto left the question hanging.

"You have to give Clara a reason to call in the other Evolved. Cause as much damage as possible, anger her as much as you can, and try to give the rest of the Evolved every reason to come to you."

Mikoto swallowed. "Got it," she said, deactivating the microphone on her earpiece. She shot another blast of electricity at the ground, watching as Infected were sent flying in every direction. She repeated this again, and again, resisting the urge to check over her shoulder for any sign of—

"Evolved!" shouted Kuroko, catching Mikoto's attention. Mikoto whirled around, faking surprise as she saw Clara approaching. The woman gave them a mad grin before diving toward their rooftop. Kuroko jumped behind Mikoto, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Onee-sama! I've used too much energy!" she shouted when the Evolved was close enough to hear. "We can't teleport far away!"

Mikoto turned to her, once again, faking surprise and fear. "What?!"

Clara landed on the rooftop before Kuroko could reply with the response they had scripted. The woman looked both of them over, the grin still plastered on her face. "What's this I hear about not being able to teleport far away?" she asked. "Finally run out of juice?"

Mikoto and Kuroko both took a step back, gulping to complete the act. This caused Clara's grin to widen further. "My, my, my…This _is _a pretty crappy situation for you, isn't it?"

Mikoto drew back her arm and fired a blast of electricity at Clara. The woman dodged with a chuckle, but paused as she noticed Kuroko teleport away along with Mikoto, only to appear on a rooftop nearby.

Clara frowned and jumped after them, only to yelp as a blast of electricity forced her to glide out of the way. Mikoto took a moment to send another blast at the ground, just before Kuroko could teleport the two of them to another rooftop.

This time, Clara made use of buildings and cover as she charged at the girls. While Mikoto wasn't able to hit the Evolved, she could slow her down, and even managed to get another shot off at the Infected below.

"Kuroko, get us to the hospital!" she shouted.

Kuroko gave out a forced grunt as she teleported the two of them to yet another rooftop, causing Clara to pause. "Oh shit," she called. "You were serious! You really can't go long distances!"

"Kuroko! The hospital! We need to get there NOW!"

"Sorry kids!" roared Clara. "Not today!" She sprang towards them, arms fanned out as she glided too close for comfort. It took all Mikoto's self control to keep herself in check, all her instincts screaming at her to attack. However, as Clara closed in, Kuroko teleported them to another rooftop, fake strain and fatigue written all over her face.

Clara spun in the air, aiming herself at the girls once more. With a grunt, she dove at them, arms straight at her sides for maximum speed. Again, the girls let Clara get far closer than she actually could have, allowing her to think that she had the upper hand.

"Just a little further!" shouted Mikoto.

She saw a hint of annoyance on Clara's face when she spared a glance at the Evolved.

_Looks like it's working! Come on, come on! Call your friends!_

"Mikoto," Siren's voice said directly into her ear. "Not to be rude, but can you go any faster? Sooner or later, Luke is going to meet up with one of the others, and when that happens, our chances of killing him fall that much lower. If that happens—"

"It won't," Mikoto snapped. "Just shut up and let me work right now. I—crap!" Mikoto interrupted herself by launching a bolt of lightning at Clara, who had aimed a kick at Kuroko.

_What do I have to do in order to get her to call for backup?!_

Her eyes widened.

"Kuroko!" she roared. "Hurry it up! If we don't get that sample from the hospital, Siren won't be able to defend himself!"

_That _got the Evolved's attention.

***Page Break***

Clara's widened and her hand flew up to her earpiece as the Evolved moved. "Guys!" she hissed. "The girls here—the teleporting girl and the electric one—they know where Mercer is! Mercer is weakened, and if we can get their memories, we can find him!"

"What?" asked Ares. "How do you know?"

"The electric esper is trying to get her teleporting friend to go faster. The teleporting girl has been injured and looks weakened—she can't teleport far away anymore! Now's the best chance we're going to get! I need backup!"

Ares hesitated for only a moment before responding. "Laren, Luke, Grevin! Get to Clara and help her take down the girls! I'll be there shortly as well."

Clara grinned.

_So close!_

***Page Break***

"Whatever you did, it's working," said Rika, a grin appearing on her face. "Luke just turned around; he's going to walk right into Siren in a little while."

"Awesome!" shouted Mikoro. "Good job Mikoto; we're that much closer!"

"Siren," began Aleister. "Remember; once you can ambush Luke, take out his earpiece so he can't call for help. Once that's out of the way, your window of opportunity for consuming him will widen."

"Right. Kill his communications," replied Siren.

"The earpiece is on the left side of his head—remember that; Luke is currently wearing it on the LEFT side of his head," said Aleister.

Rika could practically hear Siren rolling his eyes. "Yes, yes, I _know_. I heard you the first hundred times when we were going over this plan."

"And now you've heard it one-hundred-and-one times," said Aleister.

"Siren," Rika interrupted. "Luke should be in your field of view within a minute or so. I'm following a few hundred feet behind him, so once you attack, for a few seconds, it'll be just you and him." Her eyes narrowed. "Don't screw this up."

"Hate to interrupt," Mikoro said sarcastically. "But the cameras are showing that if Luke keeps going straight, he'll pass by with Siren on his right side, not his left. Siren, you need to get across that street you're on before—oh, never mind. You're already crossing."

"How close are we to Siren's position?" asked Rika, her foot stomping on the roof of a building as she jumped after Luke.

"Seems your calculations were a little off; you two are closer than you thought. You've got twenty seconds or so until Luke passes by Siren. Get ready," replied Mikoro.

Aleister spoke up. "Good luck."

"Let's hope we won't need it," replied Siren.

The next ten seconds were silent—or rather, Rika's radio was silent. The city itself, even with most of its human population huddling in a hospital, was still incredibly loud—the groans and roars of the Infected seemed to have no end.

"I can see Luke," said Siren, his voice serious. "This is it. Our chance is coming."

Rika gulped. She could see the building Siren was planning on hiding by, but since he had switched to the other side of the street, she assumed he was in the building directly across the street.

Luke was getting closer.

_Just a little more…_

He was about to get within attacking range.

_Almost…_

He was passing Siren's position.

_Where is—?!_

A figure came flying out of the building to Luke's left, slamming his leg into the side of Luke's head. Rika grinned as the Evolved was sent flying into the building Siren was originally supposed to be in.

_Time to die, Evolved._

***Page Break***

A wordless roar tore past Siren's lips as he dove at the Evolved. Luke had slammed into the wall of the building, ripping right through it. Siren had followed, his Claws forming. He fanned out the limbs as he dove at his opponent, who was currently scrambling to his feet.

Luke barely had time to look up before Siren was in front of him, swinging both Claws in a downward arc, aimed at Luke's head. Though the Evolved managed to see what Siren was doing, he wasn't able to dodge in time. Siren's Claws crashed down on Luke's head, leaving massive gashes across it, and causing the Evolved to roar in shock and fury.

Before Siren could continue the assault, Luke shoved him away, jumping back and forming his own Claws while his head healed. "You?!" he asked in disbelief. "What are—you're supposed to be—"

The Evolved stuttered and gaped, eyes going wide. "A trap," he breathed. "Shit! Those brats were trying to get our attention," he snarled, hand going up to his ear. He froze when he felt what was left of his earpiece.

Siren grinned even as Luke growled at him. The two leaned forward, each stretching his Claws in anticipation. The tension was cut, however, as Rika came crashing in through the same opening Luke had created when Siren had attacked him. The girl rolled to a stop next to Siren, eyeing Luke with a grin.

The Evolved frowned and took a small step back, being forced to fall back on the defensive. Siren and Rika glanced at each other, needing only a second to confirm their next course of action. The two rushed forward with a burst of speed, intent on ending the creature before them.

Siren's hands transformed into Hammerfists as he threw his right fist forward, aiming at Luke's head while Rika aimed for his chest. Luke's eyes widened and he was forced to backpedal to avoid being crushed by the combined force of their attack.

Siren's Hammerfist hit nothing but air, and with all the weight he threw behind the punch, momentum forced him to follow through, ending when his fist slammed into the floor. He grunted as his body shifted at an awkward angle, but calmed down as Rika shot past him.

Rika pounced at the Evolved, aiming a kick at him. Luke crossed his arms over his chest, allowing the kick to connect and send him flying out the window. Rika shot after him, jumping through the same window and resisting the urge to look back as she heard glass shattering behind her.

_It's only Siren._

Sure enough, the silver-haired Prototype shot past her, both Hammerfists replaced with a Whipfist. Their eyes widened, however, as Luke spread out his limbs, a red mist surrounding his body.

"RAA!"

The mist exploded around him, spreading in every direction. "He's calling more Infected!" shouted Siren, his arm shooting forward and the Whipfist extending as it flew at Luke. The Evolved slapped it aside with his Claws, but failed to dodge Rika's attack.

The girl slammed her fist into the Evolved's stomach, causing him to cough as spit flew from his mouth. "Siren!" she roared. "I get that you're trying to be cautious, but you're overdoing it! Start acting like you actually merged with that WHITELIGHT crap!"

Siren growled as he shot his Whipfist at Luke again. The weapon plunged into the Evolved's chest, and Siren yanked Luke up towards him. Once he was close enough, Siren stuck out his legs, slamming both into Luke, and kicking off Luke's chest, sending himself higher into the air. Luke on the other hand, fell back to the ground with a grunt, only to gasp for air as the Whipfist refused to extend, causing him to stop midair.

Rika jumped at the Evolved, grabbing him, and pulling him off Siren's Whipfist. With a roar, she lifted Luke over her head, just as the two plummeted to the ground. However, Luke's Claw wrapped the back of her leg, and he yanked forward, throwing Rika and switching places with her. Now, with her leg firmly in his Claw, he threw her at the ground, turning midair to face Siren, who was descending upon Luke with his Blade drawn and pointed at the Evolved.

Luke dove out of the way, watching as Siren dropped down, missing him by a few feet. Siren grunted as his right arm changed into a Whipfist, far faster than Luke had anticipated. The weapon shot back at Luke, wrapping around his ankle. Siren yanked him to the ground, watching as the Evolved crashed into the street.

Siren and Rika charged forward, straight at the downed Evolved. However, before they could react, a Hunter came diving over a nearby rooftop, jaws wide open as it descended upon them. Eyes widening, Rika turned to face the Hunter, not sparing a glance at Siren.

"I've got the Hunter—" she was interrupted as more Hunters came running. "The Hunter_s_! Go, get Luke!"

Siren nodded, even though he wasn't making eye contact with Rika. Luke was slowly rising to his feet, his eyes locking on Siren's. The Prototype drew back a fist, allowing his Musclemass power to activate. Luke grunted and his hands shot out, catching Siren's punch.

Siren smirked as the Evolved's eyes widened. The silver-haired fighter was pushing back the Evolved with far less effort than Luke had anticipated, causing him to trip backwards from the force behind Siren's punch. Siren grabbed Luke by the leg, turned around, and threw Luke over his body, but didn't let go. Siren continued with the throw, smashing Luke against the ground in front of him.

The Evolved let out a gasp upon landing, and Siren stepped forward, raising his foot over Luke's head. "Die!" he roared.

Just as he brought down his leg, Luke rolled out of the way, swinging his Claws in a wide, horizontal motion and sweeping Siren's feet out from under him. Siren fell forward with a shout, landing face-first in the street. He felt Luke's foot connect with his side, sending him rolling across the street.

He tumbled to a stop, hand stretched out to steady himself as he slid backwards from the momentum.

_That…didn't hurt as much as I thought it would._

He smirked. The sample seemed to have been working. Rising to his feet, Siren met Luke head on as Rika kicked aside a dead Hunter. It seemed that, despite Luke's best efforts, the more powerful Infected were too far away to help him in time, and it seemed as though Rika was able to hold off the few that did arrive.

That wasn't to say the street was empty. Even as Siren grappled with Luke, he could see lesser Infected shuffling towards them, mouths agape as they stumbled to their master. Siren grunted and stepped to the side as Luke swiped at him with his Claws. Without anything to offer resistance, Luke stumbled forward, and Siren whirled around, his Blade forming at immense speeds as he swung the weapon in a downward arc at the Evolved's back.

The weapon connected shortly before Luke could dodge, causing the Evolved to fall to the ground. Siren stepped forward, lifting his left fist over his head as it transformed into a Hammerfist. He brought the mace-like limb down on the Evolved's back, the sound of Luke's bones cracking filling the air.

Despite the various broken bones, Luke managed to roll out of the way, even as his body began healing. Siren would have given chase, but a lesser Infected wrapped its arms around him from behind. He frowned and spun around, faster than what the Infected was capable of withstanding.

The creature's arms slipped off him, and it went flying off into the distance, just as Luke rose to his feet, eyes locking on Siren. "You've changed," he muttered, almost to himself. "What happened to you?"

Siren smirked. "I had a healthy meal," he replied, stepping forward, pointing his Blade at Luke while his other hand, still encased in the Hammerfist, stayed at his side.

_I couldn't form two weapons at once before. Looks like the sample really is helping me._

Luke growled. "That's obviously a lie. Give me an honest answer; what happened to you?"

Siren's smirk only widened. He could see emotion in the Evolved's eyes, but oddly enough, it wasn't fear; it was curiosity.

_Well, he was with Gentek._

"Siren!" Rika roared. "What the _fuck _are you doing?!"

Siren turned around for a second, eyebrow rising in confusion. He didn't have time to react before a figure tackled him, forcing him to the ground. He grunted as his back hit the ground, arms shooting out to stop his attacker—who he now recognized as one of the Infected Luke had sent to guard his truck.

_These were some of Luke's elites! _

Eyes widening, Siren glanced in Luke's direction, only to see the Evolved sprinting away. "Oh no you DON'T!" roared the silver-haired Prototype. His Blade and Hammerfist were quickly replaced with his Musclemass power, his hands grabbing the Infected's head. He crushed the creature's skull between his palms, jumping to his feet even as the Infected was absorbed into his body.

"Rika!" he shouted as he began sprinting after Luke. "Let's go! Luke's the priority!"

Rika immediately kicked away the Hunter she was grappling with, taking off after Siren as the two sprinted after Luke. "And you couldn't have killed him by now?! What's wrong with you?!"

"I was testing out my powers!" Siren shouted back. "Won't happen again!"

Rika only growled. With Aleister's sample lending him power and speed, Siren began putting more distance between him and Rika, all while catching up to Luke. With a final leap, Siren flew over the Evolved's head, landing in front of him and skidding to a stop. Luke's eyes widened at Siren's entrance, and the Evolved was stopped in his tracks as Siren stuck his foot out and drove it into Luke's chest.

The Evolved gasped, his body rocketing backwards, straight into Rika's waiting arms. The girl caught Luke without a problem, hooking her arms under his shoulders and holding him. The Evolved didn't have time to start struggling before Siren was in front of him, a Musclemass-empowered fist raised over his head.

Siren brought the limb down on Luke's head, pushing him down onto the ground. The Evolved crumpled under the force of the blow, much to Siren and Rika's delight. Siren acted fast, placing both hands on Luke's head and driving his knee into the Evolved's face. Tentacles reached out from his body, grabbing onto Luke as Siren prepared to consume the Evolved.

However, with a roar, Luke jumped up, swinging his Claws wildly and cutting at Siren's tentacles and forcing him and Rika to back off to avoid the Evolved's Claws. Luke spun around, the last of Siren's tentacles falling off him. He vaulted over Rika, strain written on his face.

"He's getting weaker!" Rika shouted. "We can do this!"

As soon as she spoke, Luke jumped back, panting slightly. He raised both arms as though he was expecting a hug. More red mist gathered around his body, and his eyes became more bloodshot with each passing second. Infected—Hunters, Luke's elites, lesser Infected, and even Juggernaut Hunters—poured into the street.

_I've only got two Flyers left to regurgitate. _

Eyes narrowing, Siren spat out the first Flyer, watching as the creature took off with a screech. The second came out almost as fast as the first, Aleister's sample making it easier to regurgitate.

"He's on his last legs!" shouted Siren's black-haired companion. Luke only pointing both fingers at the sky before quickly lowering his arms, pointing at Siren and Rika.

"GET THEM!"

Luke turned around, taking off as fast as he could. Siren narrowed his eyes, his own legs acting almost on instinct as he sprinted after Luke. Rika followed right behind him. The Infected—every one of them—scrambled to place themselves between Luke and his pursuers. Siren and Rika shoved past the lesser Infected and dodged the swipes of the Hunters. Luckily, the Juggernaut Hunters hadn't reached them yet, and none of Luke's elites were in sight.

Siren drew back his arm, his Whipfist forming. He launched the weapon forward, watching with anticipation as it flew at Luke. The Evolved never knew what hit him. The bladed tip of the Whipfist buried itself in Luke's back, protruding from his chest. Siren yanked him back, only to feel the full force of a Hunter slamming into his back. He grunted as he fell forward, Luke sailing over him and past Rika—who was currently kicking away Infected of all sorts.

_Crap! The Infected are getting in the way! Luke will get away if this keeps up!_

Siren sprang to his feet, yanking the now loosened Whipfist out of Luke's body. Whirling around, he swung the weapon in a wide arc, making sure to avoid hitting Rika. The chain-like weapon tore through everything in front of him, only stopping when it hit a Hunter. The hulking creature leapt at him, and Siren quickly formed his Shield, raising it in front of him to block the Hunter's attack.

The beast slammed into his Shield, and the force of its attack sent Siren hurling straight toward Luke. The silver-haired Prototype rolled in the air, aiming his feet at the ground, landing a few feet from Luke. Momentum carried him further, however, and he skidded for a few more feet, giving Luke the precious seconds he needed to scramble to his feet.

With the Hunter charging at him and Luke putting distance between them, Siren wasn't sure if he could catch the Evolved at this rate. A deep growl emerging from his throat, he spun around, his arms changing into Hammerfists as he aimed a punch at the Hunter's head. With loud crack, his hit connected, knocking the creature aside momentarily. He was prepared to chase after Luke, but only smirked as he watched his companion handle the situation.

Rika jumped in from practically out of nowhere, catching Luke entirely off guard as she dropkicked him in the side, sending him tumbling. Siren dashed forward, planting one foot on the head of the Hunter he had slapped aside, and kicking off. He was sailing over the Hunter before it knew what was going on, gliding towards Luke just as Rika charged at him.

Siren landed right next to the black-haired girl, and the two moved forward at once, both drawing back their fists in one, fluid motion. Luke didn't have time to dodge as they both threw their punches, each connecting with Luke's head. Siren whirled around, raising both Hammerfists and slamming them into the ground, watching as spikes erupted from the ground in a triangle-like pattern. The spikes ran through several of the Hunters, ensnaring them. Lesser Infected were killed instantly as their bodies were torn apart by the massive spikes produced by the Prototype's Hammerfists.

Siren turned around again, sprinting forward to catch up to Rika, who was already charging at Luke once more. The Evolved flipped backwards, planting both hands on the ground and using them to catapult himself into the air. Landing on the wall of a nearby building, he turned and immediately began running up.

Siren and Rika both followed him as fast as they could. Siren deactivated his Hammerfists, knowing that the extra bulk, while not adding weight, would still get in the way of his running. He grinned as he issued a mental command to the Flyers he had regurgitated earlier.

The two creatures swooped down, each grabbing onto one of Luke's arms using their feet. The Evolved roared in anger and began thrashing as the Flyer's lifted him from the wall. With a wild kick, he caught one of the Flyers, causing it to let go of his left arm. With a swipe of his Claws, Luke cut the other Flyer's legs off, and then, he was falling.

"What happened to 'on his last legs'?" Rika shouted.

"He's more durable than I thought!" Siren shouted back, frustration creeping into his voice. Was it his fault that the Evolved were so resilient?!

_Just because I can overpower them and block their attacks now doesn't imply that I can kill them easily. _

Luke began gliding, considerably slowing his fall. Siren leapt off the wall, tackling Luke midair. The Evolved grunted as Siren wrapped his arms around him, squeezing as hard as he could. Luke struggled under Siren's grip, but the silver-haired teen activated his Musclemass power. That, coupled with his recently-enhanced strength, proved to be too much for Luke.

Before Luke could break free, Rika had jumped in front of them, her body upside-down and her legs pointed at the sky. Siren almost asked what she was doing, but before he could, the girl flipped forward twice, gathering speed, and brought her foot down on Luke's head.

Siren relinquished his hold on the Evolved, watching as he plummeted to the ground. Activating his Hammerfist power, Siren dove after him, both fists pointed at the ground. Luke landed with a thud, coughing and gasping. His eyes widened when he saw Siren diving straight at him, Hammerfists extended and aimed straight at him.

As Siren landed, everything from parts of the road to nearby Infected were sent flying into the air. Siren fired dozens of sharp tendrils from his Hammerfists straight into Luke. The tendrils curved as they plunged into the ground, quickly emerging as sharp, hardened spikes in a circular pattern centered on Siren and Luke.

Siren stood, retracting all the sharp tendrils, watching as they tore through Luke's chest and reentered his Hammerfists. Luke lay there, bloodied and beaten, sprawled out and gasping. Siren leaned forward, reaching out with his hands and picking up the Evolved by the waist and lifting him over his shoulder.

With a growl, Siren threw Luke back into the ground, falling to his knees on top of Luke's torso. He activated his Musclemass power almost subconsciously as he began throwing punch after punch at Luke's face. With each strike, he could feel the Evolved going limp under him, and his head was slowly losing proper shape. Tendrils reached out from his body, instantly shooting out at Luke.

The Evolved gave a final wet cough and Siren pulled back his fist one last time. "Just die!" he growled, throwing the final punch forward. That did the trick.

Luke's body was slowly lifted as it was absorbed into Siren.

***Page Break***

** A figure stood over him, blinding light shining behind him. "Careful now," said a calm, cold voice. "Your body may not be entirely as you remember it."**

** Suddenly, he was sitting up, coughing and gasping. "Who—who are you?!" screamed Luke, his voice uncertain and full of fear. The world began spinning as Luke's head swiveled in every direction, trying to make sense of his situation. Finally, everything settled down as Luke focused on the figure before him, raising a hand to block the blinding light.**

** "It's ok," said the all-too-familiar voice of Ares. "You're going to be ok. You've just been transformed."**

** "Trans—what do you mean 'transformed'?" Luke asked, clearly panicked. "Who are you?! What do you want with me?!"**

** "Relax, friend," Ares replied, reaching out and offering his hand to Luke. "I've just given you new life."**

** The scene changed, and suddenly, he was walking through a burning, virus-infested city. Massive, red and black tendrils reached from the ground, clinging to various building. Street lights and signs of all sorts were covered in red tendrils. To his left, red tentacles slowly crept along a taxi, causing the vehicle to shake and groan. **

** "Shit," whispered a voice behind him. "**_**This**_** is what was being hidden from us?"**

** "Yes," replied Luke, gesturing to the city with his hand. "This is what Blackwatch hid from you. This is the hopeless battle you were in. If not for the Supreme Regurgitator, you would still be human, wandering around outside the city wondering what happened, all while Blackwatch and Gentek pranced around, forcing you to stay within the general area."**

** "For someone who used to be in Gentek, you don't seem to think too highly of them," said another voice from behind him. **

** Luke smirked, turning around to face two Evolved, both dressed in street clothes with uncertain expressions on their faces. Their fear was understandable; they were new recruits, after all. "My time with Gentek ended months ago when I became an Evolved. I believe Gentek is wasting talent and potential. So many bright minds coming together to work in such a—in my opinion—constricted environment. Compared to what I can work with now, Gentek's supply of Infected seems miniscule—probably because they had no true way of controlling and containing them. But now…now I'm free to work, to research, to grow, to **_**evolve**_**. But enough about me; the Supreme Regurgitator will want you to come back after I've finished showing you around. Come, let us finish this tour; I've got experiments to do, and you've got things to prove."**

** "Things to prove?" asked one of the Evolved.**

** Luke chuckled. "You have to prove yourselves to our leaders. So far, you've proven you're capable of becoming Evolved, so now, you need to prove what kind of position you're worthy of. For all we know, one of you—or both of you—may be cut out to venture far, far beyond the city, completing dangerous missions and tracking down high-value targets."**

** "And if not?" asked the other Evolved.**

** Luke only grinned and spread his arms out, gesturing to the city once more. "You have the privilege of guarding New York City," he said. The scene ended, fading in a flash of white light.**

Siren's eyes shot open.

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** Siren/Rika vs. Luke: So, I thought I'd give some personal, and informative, thoughts on the subject. First off, as Siren briefly stated, he may be more powerful, but the Evolved are still very resilient. The idea here is that Siren is now more powerful than the Evolved and capable of keeping them at bay, but killing them still isn't necessarily 'easy'. They've still got a chance of making a clean getaway. I chose to go with this because I wanted the fights against each Evolved to be more than just 'characters x, y, and z beat the crap out of Evolved A, B, and later on, C, while the Evolved can't do anything about it.'. As you saw, Luke was unprepared and had to try to run. The keyword being 'try'. **


	36. Chapter 36

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**MYTHFAN: Thank you.**

**TEARWHENIPOOP: Thank you. **

**GUEST: Regrettably, I have no idea as to what this Kami-yan is. I don't know the whole Toaru storyline (most of the information in this story comes from the anime). Sorry for not being able to use your suggestion**

**RETARDED NOTE: By complete accident, I found out that Uiharu's full name is Uiharu Kazari (I suck at remembering Japanese names), which made me slap my face in annoyance. I'd like to point out that Rika isn't meant to have any connection to Uiharu—I came up with the name Kazari at a moment's notice; it was completely random! The fact that it was the same as Uiharu's name is a complete coincidence, and now I feel stupid about it. Just thought I'd share that with you all. **

**Chapter 36**

**Distant Empire**

From the corner of her eye, Rika watched as Siren sat up, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. She wanted to ask what he had seen in Luke's memories, but at the moment, she was too busy fending off various Infected in an attempt to keep them away from the local Prototype while he processed the images he had seen.

"Siren!" Rika called. "We need to go! Snap out of it and let's move!"

Siren seemed to realize what was happening because the next second, he was scrambling to his feet and running to a nearby building. Rika grunted as she pushed away a Hunter and took off after Siren. The two didn't look back as they began running up the side of the building, ignoring the roars of the Infected. With Luke gone, they weren't as furious or driven, but that didn't mean they planned on letting Siren and Rika walk away without a fight.

The two were up on the roof of the building they were running up within a matter of seconds. Rika glanced back down at the ground, making sure that none of the Infected were following them. Unfortunately…

"Damn it," Rika hissed. "Siren, we've got Hunters incoming. We need to move before they get here; Mikoto and Kuroko need to know whether or not to retreat. Whatever you saw, you have to put it aside; we've got work to do."

Siren nodded dumbly, jumping after Rika as the girl took off, threatening to leave him behind. Rika could tell whatever Siren saw unnerved him because the look on his face was grim. Rika gritted her teeth.

_Just what have the Evolved done?_

***Page Break***

Mikoto grunted as she fired blasts of electricity in several different directions in rapid succession. So far, the others had yet to radio in, and not only was Clara still chasing them, but Laren and Ares had already arrived. Grevin was, as far as she could tell, either running late or was simply extremely far away and making his way over.

"Onee-sama," whispered Kuroko as the two teleported to a nearby rooftop. "I don't think it's a good idea for us to stay here much longer; these guys are getting more aggressive and we're going to get caught eventually. We need to move _soon_."

"I know," Mikoto hissed back. "Just a little longer."

Kuroko only gulped in response. The Evolved truly had become more aggressive in their attempts at taking them. The fake panic that Mikoto and Kuroko had displayed earlier was quickly turning into genuine worry. Sooner or later, the Evolved would either catch them or realize this was a trap and prepare for the worst. If Luke had survived the ambush, then their chances of springing another trap were unbearably low.

"Girls," said Aleister, startling Mikoto and Kuroko. Mikoto avoided reaching for her earpiece to a void tipping off the Evolved. "Girls, I'm going to assume you're listening so I'll say this once; get inside."

Mikoto gulped. 'Get inside' was their code for 'the mission was a success'. "Kuroko," Mikoto whispered. "You got that?"

"Yeah," Kuroko replied, taking a breath before teleporting, allowing more strain to show on her face. "Onee-sama! I'm sorry, but I'm running out of energy! We need to get inside!"

Mikoto allowed a look of panic and determination pass over her face to complete the act. "I'll hold them off! Gather enough power to teleport into a nearby building!" she shouted, loud enough for their pursuers to hear.

She could see looks of annoyance and slight panic cover the faces of Laren and Clara. Ares only snarled, transforming his arm into a Whipfist and firing the bladed weapon at the girls. Mikoto intercepted the attack with a blast of lightning, throwing the weapon off even as Ares fired a barrage of tendrils at them.

Mikoto managed to blast two tendrils before Kuroko teleported them away. However, instead of teleporting them into a nearby building as she had suggested, the two found themselves standing, safe and sound, within the hospital from which they had left.

"Hey guys," said the familiar voice of Touma. "How'd it go?"

***Page Break***

Ares looked around, scanning the nearby buildings for any signs of the girls. "Damn it," he hissed. "Damn it!" He activated his Thermal vision, waiting as tentacles swirled around his body, indicating the activation of his desired power.

"Supreme Regurgitator?" asked Laren. "What are you—?"

Ares tuned him out as he began searching for any signs of people in buildings. All over the place, heat signatures appeared inside buildings of various sorts. Many of the heat signatures stumbled around, indicating that they were Infected. A few were still or sitting down—possibly dead bodies that had yet to lose their body heat, or a pair of espers waiting for someone to save them.

"Laren," Ares growled. "That building right there; go and search it. Clara, you go to this one over here, while I'll be taking those two over there. Once you've cleared your buildings, come and check with me."

Laren and Clara only looked at each other before shrugging and following order. Ares' hand flew up to his earpiece. "Grevin, Luke," he growled. "Where the _fuck_ are you two?"

"I already told you; I was on the other side of the city, and I'm still on my way there! What? Did something happen?" asked Grevin.

"Why yes, actually, something happened. They're going to get away if we don't find them soon, and we need their memories right now! Luke, where are _you_?!"

Nobody answered at first. Ares frowned in annoyance. "Luke, can you hear me?"

Again, nothing. Ares' frown turned to a look of anger. "_Luke_!"

Nothing. Ares' eyes narrowed as he tried again. "Luke, _are you there_?" Again, nobody answered. Ares' anger began rising and his fists clenched. His hand shot up to his earpiece once more. "Evolved!" he roared. "Does anyone know where Luke is?"

"Eh?" asked Clara. "Luke? No, why?"

"He's not answering," Ares growled. "Either his radio is broken and he's still trying to get here, or he's been ambushed!"

On his end of the line, Grevin growled. "A broken radio right when we need him? I never believed in such coincidences. Mercer…that piece of shit! He must have gotten to Luke!"

Ares' fists clenched to the point that blood flowed freely from the wounds his nails were creating. "Damn you, Mercer," he hissed, venom dripped from his voice. "That's it; no more trying to convince you. You had your chance and you just blew it."

***Page Break***

Siren silently sat down, eyes glued to the floor. "Well?" asked Rika. "You haven't said anything since you consumed Luke. Anything you'd like to tell little old me?"

Siren looked up at her before reaching for his earpiece. "Kuroko, we need a transport. Get to the place we planned to meet up if the operation worked—the place where I was going to ambush Luke. We'll be there soon."

It took a second for Kuroko to reply. "Alright," she said. "Rika, can you confirm that Siren is the one speaking, and not an imposter?"

"It's Siren all right," said Rika. "Few people sound as dull as he does."

Siren didn't reply to her teasing, which told Rika that whatever he saw in Luke's memories was _not _going to be pretty. "Come on," she began. "We need to get back so that Kuroko can teleport us to the hospital. Then you can finally tell us what—or who—you saw."

Siren just nodded, slowly stepping to the edge of the rooftop and dropping to the ground. Rika frowned as she watched him. Just what had he seen in the mind of that Evolved?

***Page Break***

The group fell into their seats almost simultaneously. Touma and Index, despite not being present for the actual operation, were there as well, prepared to listen to whatever horrors Siren had pulled from Luke's mind.

The frog-faced doctor had come as well, and even though Siren was a little reluctant at first, he went along with the idea after Mikoto insisted. After all, he was not in the mood to argue over this right now.

"I'd like to congratulate you all on a job well done," said the doctor. "I know that it's stressful—and at your age, I imagine this only feels worse. But still, well done—all of you."

Mikoto nodded dumbly, all while keeping an eye on the local Prototype. "Siren," she began with a serious expression on her face. "You've kept us in the dark long enough, and your behavior is telling us that whatever you saw wasn't good. So spill it; what did you see?"

Siren ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath. "Is Aleister listening? I don't want to have to repeat all this."

"I am listening," said Aleister through their earpieces after a moment's delay. "Do feel free to start at any time."

A sigh escaped Siren as he leaned back. "Luke's memories showed me something that I hadn't anticipated—something I don't think any of us truly grasped. The situation…it's beyond what we assumed. The Evolved are powerful—powerful enough to eliminate the need to 'start small', as they say."

"I'm not following," said Kuroko.

"The Evolved, the other two Prototypes, _everything _that was spawned by the viruses; they all add up to form an entirely new race: the Infected. I don't think any of us truly understood what that meant, but with Luke's memories, the reality of the situation is starting to set in."

Siren paused and took a breath. "The Infected—I'm referring to anything spawned by the viruses—aren't a small group or an organization. They need my DNA to fully initiate their major plan, yes, but they haven't—"

"Good _grief_! Will you get to the point?!" shouted Rika.

Siren narrowed his eyes as a grim look crossed his face. "Their networks seem to be _endless_. Killing whoever is behind all this won't be enough—you'll still be left with hundreds of Evolved scattered around the _globe_. Even if we kill whoever is in charge of all this, whoever Ares answers to, we'll still be dealing with the Infected as a race. They'll no longer be united under one ruler, but…humanity will no longer be the only sapient creatures on this planet. The Evolved are the only current sapient subspecies of Infected—besides the Prototypes, of course—but they're _everywhere_. They've set up operations in Europe, Asia, Latin America, anywhere they found resources, they've gone. The point is that even if we cut off the head of the snake, all these other Evolved will still be out there, and they can start infecting people too. They may not be able to possess the same degree of control over the Infected as their leader, but they'd still be a massive problem."

Mikoro leaned forward, a hand covering her mouth as she stared at the floor. "Oh gosh," she whispered. "It's really that bad?"

"Their ultimate goal is the complete extinction of humanity and the subjugation of Earth. However, they're willing to work with humans until they're powerful enough to take on all of them at once," Siren continued. "It could take _years_ to track down all the remaining Infected, and the Evolved are willing to trick humans by working with them for as long as they need to. This is far from over."

Rika sat back, a letting out a loud breath. "All this fighting and we've barely even scratched the surface, huh? Did you at least find out where they're stationed? Where their main base is?"

Siren gulped. "New York City."

Rika stared at him as if he went insane. "New York?! _Again_?! How did they manage to take over?! How did none of us notice them when they went there?!"

"Their operations were still being set up when I woke up," Siren muttered. "I had just missed them, I had _just missed their leader_. If whoever is running all this had gotten to me back then, I might be fighting for the other side in this little war of ours."

Silence hung over them as the group digested the new information. The Infected were quickly turning into a problem that was beyond what they could control, and they knew it.

"I believe," began Aleister. "That the best course of action would be to continue with the current plan; flush the Evolved out from Academy City. Once Siren has consumed Ares and the other Evolved, he may be strong enough to take on their leader."

Siren snorted. "You didn't see what I saw in Luke's memories. The amount of Infected in New York is staggering. Whoever is leading all of them is either the most lovable ruler to ever walk the face of the Earth, or is so powerful that none of the other Infected dare to raise a hand against him or her. Even if I consume Ares and the others, I'm not completely positive I can defeat whoever is pulling the strings. I'll have a better idea when and if I get Ares' memories."

"Even if consuming Ares won't get you to the level of power you need," began Touma. "You'd still be strong enough to take on tougher Infected, right? You'd be able to evolve more quickly."

"Yes, but it would still take time—time that I don't think we have. If the one behind all this came to Academy City right now, we wouldn't be able to stop him—or her. And if, by some miracle, I _win _in the fight against the leader, we'll still need people to help clean up the Infected—that's a job for more than just me," Siren explained.

"Which is precisely why Accelerator is safe and sound in a far more secure location," replied Aleister. "He'll move in when the threat to his life isn't as…severe."

Kuroko crossed her arms. "Can't we use the Leader Hydra in some way? That thing is crazy strong!"

Siren held up a hand, catching everyone's attention. "I should probably mention this; there's an Infected in New York—sort of like the Evolveds' own version of a Leader Hydra. It's called the Goliath, and it's _massive_. Imagine a Hunter with a Hammerfist, but the size of the Leader Hydra. Now put him under the control of the Evolved, and you've got the Goliath."

Rika groaned. "Of _course_ they'd have something like that! Why _wouldn't_ the bad guys get something so cool?!"

"Do we know how this creature came to be?" asked Aleister.

"Luke's memories are telling me that the Evolved launched something that they called Project SPAWN, the goal being to create more powerful Infected, and make use of them. The Goliath was one of the results. Interestingly enough, it seems that Ares received the ability to regurgitate from this project, though how that happened, I don't know. All I know is that Luke heard rumors that Ares existed prior to the project; he simply got his regurgitation power and title from Project SPAWN."

Aleister hummed in thought. "Interesting indeed. By the way, I'd like to ask you something. Do you know if consuming Luke made you more powerful?"

Siren shrugged on instinct, even though Aleister couldn't see him. "I don't feel the immediate increase in power like I did with the sample you gave me, but I'm almost positive I've evolved _somehow_. I had to."

"You better have," muttered Mikoto. "If you didn't, then the majority of the plan just went up in smoke."

"No, I believe the plan will remain intact," Aleister cut in. "Remember, if things go wrong, I still have the other weapon I can offer you. Anyway, try to rest up for a little while, all of you. You'll need it later on."

Aleister hung up, leaving the others to sit in silence. Siren sighed and leaned forward, propping his elbows up on his knees and resting his head in his hands. Touma had done the opposite, yawning and leaning back, putting his hands behind his head.

"Well, I'll leave you all to rest up and prepare," said the frog-faced doctor while waving them goodbye and walking out the door. Mikoro stood up, claiming that she was going to get a bite to eat, which caught the attention of Index and Kuroko. When the three began leaving, Rika stood up to follow, leaving only Siren, Mikoto, and Touma.

"I'm, uh, I'm going to go take a little walk," mumbled Siren. "To clear my head. You two can do whatever, just keep your eyes peeled." He stood up, walking to the door, lost in thought. As he exited the room, Touma gave a slight groan of discomfort, catching Mikoto's attention.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

Touma sank deeper into his seat. "I feel useless. The Infected out there are destroying what's left of our city, you guys are fighting them, and I'm stuck on the sidelines! I mean, come on, what kind of luck is this?! Such misfortune!"

Mikoto only smiled and shrugged. "You're not useless. This is just a situation beyond your control. Think of it this way; you're a multipurpose tool capable of solving dozens of problems. But, just because you're 'multipurpose', doesn't mean you're able to solve _every _problem. Every once in a while, you run into something you just can't face alone. That's why people come to friends for help."

Touma just shook his head. "I know, I know. It's just…it feels _wrong_. To be sitting here, watching and waiting, hearing all the stories and discussions you guys have. I mean, I want to help too, you know."

Mikoto shrugged again. "I can see that, but you're no use to anybody if you're dead. If you die now, you won't be around to help people after the Evolved are gone. And if you need extra convincing, look at it this way; Siren can't do many of the things you do. He may be a good candidate for this particular job, but after the Evolved are gone, he can't fill your shoes. I mean, come on; can you imagine _Siren_ going out of his way to help ordinary people with big problems?"

Touma chuckled. "No, not really." He turned towards Mikoto, a smile creeping onto his face. Mikoto shrank back in confusion, her face betraying her embarrassment. "W—what are you looking at?"

Touma shook his head. "You know…heh…thanks, Biri-Biri. I kinda needed to hear that," he told her while standing up. He turned to her again as he made for the door. "Keep that kind of talk up, and you might get a boyfriend one day."

He wasn't referring to himself, of course, but he was completely oblivious to the look that covered Mikoto's face and the thoughts that crossed her mind.

***Page Break***

Aleister was slightly annoyed with the situation presented to him. Their attack worked, yes, but now the Evolved were more on guard than ever, seeing as one of their men was killed.

_Drawing them out probably won't work a second time. If they value their lives, they'll stick together and wait for us to come to them. But what does that leave us with? If drawing them out won't work, then we'd have to come to them, and that presents risks of its own. _

He closed his eyes in thought, pondering on the best way to proceed.

_Perhaps…no…no, that won't work. Maybe if…if Siren has Luke's memories, perhaps he can assume control of the Infected? Hmm, no, the Evolved aren't stupid enough to hand over control of all the Infected in this city to a single individual. More than likely, the Infected will obey the commands of the other Evolved—as well as Ares—until they're all dead. If that's the case, then the only way to assume complete control of the Infected is to kill ALL the Evolved, along with Ares. Even so, there's no guarantee that the Infected will obey anyone after the Evolved are out of the picture…_

His eyes slowly opened once more, and he found himself glancing around the room.

_The Leader Hydra is still available…But if we were to use it, I'd have to make it look coincidental, and make sure Siren consumes as many Evolved as possible. If those children were to find out that I was behind the Leader Hydra, then their loyalty to me, as weak as it is, may falter. The situation is already delicate; no need for further complications._

Aleister's eyes shifted slightly as an idea came to mind.

_It's risky, but I may have to present them with the other weapon. If they become stronger as a team, then their chances of survival increase by that much…_

He didn't like it, but it seemed as though he'd have to provide them with more weaponry.

***Page Break***

"_What_?" hissed Rika, glaring at Siren.

"I need to consume Clara as well," Siren replied. "The Infected have become a force far more powerful than we had anticipated, and consuming Clara will give me much needed energy."

Rika growled, staring down at the floor. "Damn it! You're sure there's no other way?"

Siren shrugged. "We'll save Clara for last, so there's a tiny, _tiny_ chance that I won't need her. However, don't hold your breath; Clara may very well become a meal for me sooner or later."

"Your attention, please," said Aleister's voice through the earpieces. Siren and Rika jumped slightly at the sudden voice, but quickly settled down. "What's wrong?" Siren asked after reaching up to his earpiece.

"Is everyone listening?" asked Aleister, ignoring the previous question. He received several affirmations from the others. "Good," continued the man. "I've come to the conclusion that drawing out the Evolved won't work anymore. I'm almost positive that the Evolved will see through the disguise if Siren goes in as Luke, and I'm sure that control of the Infected still belongs to the Evolved, not us."

"You'd be correct," muttered Siren. "Ares will consume me on sight if I show up looking like Luke. That's how the Evolved operate."

"I figured," replied Aleister. "Now, I'm going to say this once, so listen well; in the face of our current problems, it seems only wise to provide you all with the second weapon I spoke of earlier."

Rika broke out into a wide grin. "All right!"

"I'm going to send coordinates for a meeting place—my men will deliver the weapon, and two of you will claim it."

"Wait," said Mikoto, suspicion creeping into her voice. "Before, you were very reluctant to give us anything, and now, you're in a pretty generous mood. What's the catch?"

"The catch is that we're short on options. Drawing out the Evolved won't work, sending Siren in as Luke won't work, so we need to take the fight to the Evolved. If that's the case, then we need to make sure your chances of survival are as high as they can possibly get. For that reason, I will be providing you all with another weapon to help combat the Evolved."

The others thought it over, realizing that the man's words made sense. "Wait a second," said Kuroko. "Tell us about this weapon; Siren has Luke's memories, so maybe he'll know right off the bat if it'll be effective against the Evolved."

Aleister sighed. "If you must know, it's something of a cross between a set of armor and a weapon."

"Huh?" said Mikoto.

"The 'weapon' I plan on giving you all is essentially a pair of gloves and boots—which, by the way, require two people to function properly—or rather, they require a power source, and a wielder. Our power source just so happens to be a person," Aleister explained.

A moment of silence passed before Mikoto gasped. "Hey! You plan on using _me _as the power source, don't you?!"

"I thought that was obvious," said Aleister in a slightly tired tone. "If you must know, yes, I _do _plan on having you act as the power source. It's only natural; the gloves and boots will act as an extension of your power, Mikoto."

On her end of the line, Mikoto's eyes widened. "An extension of my power?"

"Yes," said Aleister. "You'll be able to channel your power through the gloves and boots. Normally, one would assume that you'll be the one wearing the devices. However, it may be more effective if someone else were to wear them. That way, you can still attack with your own powers, all while channeling them through the gloves while they're on someone else."

"I don't follow," said Mikoto.

"Neither do I," said Siren. "How exactly does this work?"

Aleister sighed. "Let's say Rika here were to wear the gloves and boots. In the middle of a fight, Mikoto could be standing a large distance away, fending off who-knows-what, all while Rika is fighting her own battle elsewhere. Let's say Rika needed assistance; Mikoto wouldn't even have to move to help—she could just channel power through a device I had rigged to the gloves and boots, and Rika's punches would now be electrically charged. Alternatively, Rika could point the glove in a certain direction, and Mikoto could actually overload the glove from a distance, and watch as the glove fired a blast of electricity for her. Modern technology truly is useful, is it not?"

Mikoto was rubbing her chin in thought. "So…I'd have to shoot lighting at Rika and that will supercharge her punches?"

"You're half right. You can supercharge someone else's punches, but you don't have to shoot lighting _at _them. You simply need to channel that power through a device I'll give you, and watch as the gloves spark to life on their own. Think of it as a remote battery of sorts."

"Uh, ok…" Mikoto said slowly.

"It will make more sense once you actually see and use the device," said Aleister. "Which, if all goes well, should be relatively soon."

"Hey, a question," Siren interrupted. "Once we have this other weapon of yours, then what? Do we have any plans for taking on the remaining Evolved?"

"Unfortunately, at the moment, we don't have much of a plan," began Aleister. "That is why we need to put one together—preferably one that works as well as the last plan. If we can pull that off a few more times, you should be more than powerful enough to take on Ares, especially since you've got a group of powerful allies."

"Wait, why not use your anti-Infected tech?" asked Kuroko. "You seem to have plenty of that."

"Ah, but that presents problems of its own," Aleister replied. "You see, the anti-Infected field was the finest product that I could come up with. Some of the other weapons—such as the rifles you saw my guards carrying, can't actually kill the Infected. They can simply stun them. Unfortunately, Ares is currently a little too powerful to succumb to the weapons I equipped my men with, and using the force field would prevent Siren from actually consuming Ares."

"Not that I don't like the idea of Siren getting super powerful," said Mikoto, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "But why not just kill Ares instead of consuming him?"

"Because more will come," Siren answered, shortly before Aleister could. "More Infected will arrive, and they'll find a way to kill us all unless we're powerful enough to stop them. Besides, they don't need to use their powers to destroy the city—they could just drop a nuclear bomb on us and be done with it. If they decide they don't need my DNA, there are few things to stop them from just incinerating the city."

"Huh," Mikoto muttered. "Stupid Evolved."

"Didn't think you cared so much for our city," Kuroko said with a chuckle. Siren responded by growling. "Don't get the wrong idea," he muttered in reply.

"If you're all done chatting," Aleister interrupted. "I'm going to send the coordinates of the next meeting to Kuroko's phone. Then, she can teleport Mikoto and Rika to the desired location, and they can pick up the weapon. After that…we'll see."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

"**Nope, sorry. Nothing." -Any courier from Skyrim.**


	37. Chapter 37

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**GUEST: Oh, the nickname! Ok, I know what you're talking about; I had forgotten the nickname and assumed you were talking about a literal disease. Anyway, your suggestion is unique, but it would be awkward to write. I mean, come on; Clara is a grown woman and Touma is **_**16**_**. **

**Chapter 37**

**Desperate Attempt**

Rika glanced around, checking for any signs of betrayal as the three walked in through the front doors of the building. Mikoto and Kuroko had come along, both girls mirroring Rika's actions and looking around.

"What's with Aleister and picking creepy, abandoned buildings for his meetings?" asked Mikoto. "I mean, what's wrong with giving us the gloves and boots in a hotel?"

"Oh, you know his kind," Kuroko muttered. "Ominous and prone to act mysterious and weird."

"Hey, guys," Rika interrupted. "I've got eyes on Aleister's little squad." Sure enough, there were four people waiting for them at the far end of the building. Two crouched beside a metal box, and all were aiming their weapons at the three girls.

"Hey," Mikoto began. "These look like the same guys who delivered that thing Siren merged with."

"Huh, you're right," Rika answered while reaching up to her earpiece. "Aleister, you sent these guys, didn't you? These aren't imposters?"

"These were the men I sent, yes," Aleister replied. "Take the gear and hurry back; we've got to keep hitting the Evolved while we can, so the sooner you've got more weapons for your team, the sooner we can bring down the Evolved."

Rika nodded, waving a hand and beckoning the other two girls over. One of the men flicked a pair of goggles over his head and studies the girls. Once satisfied, he held his hand up to his ear. "These the ones?" he asked.

A moment of silence went by as he received his reply. "The man had called me," Aleister began, talking in each of the girls' earpieces. "He was just making sure there are no misunderstandings."

"Gotchya," said Mikoto.

The two men stood up, carrying the box forward. "Not take forever like Mercer punk," said the man who had looked them over. Kuroko rolled her eyes as the trio stepped forward while the two men opened the box. While they went through the process of unlocking it, Kuroko placed her hands on the backs of her comrades. It was a little difficult, seeing as her right hand was broken, but she had made contact, and in case things went south, she'd have an extra second or two to teleport them all away since she already had physical contact.

Finally, the box opened, revealing a pair of grey, metal gloves and boots, along with another device that was attached to a pair of straps of sorts. Rika bent forward, grabbing the gloves and boots and looking them over while Mikoto grabbed the device.

"The device is worn, Mikoto—put it on like a backpack under your clothing, but make sure the device is resting on the front of your body," Aleister explained. "It'll be easier to prevent it from being hit by an attack since you'll see it coming."

"Uh huh," replied Mikoto, staring at the device as she held it in her hands. It was rectangular in shape and green in color. It wasn't that large—it was a little larger than her hand, and about as flat—and it wasn't very heavy. "And this thing can seriously remotely charge those gloves?" she asked.

"It can," Aleister confirmed. "It simply needs a power source—that being you, of course. Just allow your electricity to flow into it, and it'll power up the gloves and boots. Go on, try it."

"Wait," Rika interrupted. "Let me put the things on first." Less than thirty seconds later, the gloves and boots were firmly in place. Rika pulled her sleeves over the gloves and her pants over the boots and was jogging in place and throwing punches, testing the weight and feel of the new additions to her wardrobe.

"Alright, I'm ready," she muttered. "Go for it, Mikoto." Mikoto nodded, lighting sparking around the hand that held the device. She channeled the electricity into the device, and watched with fascination as the gloves began sparking with the same blue electricity.

Tiny lights that had been built into the gloves burst into life with blue light, and the palms of the gloves gave off their own blue glow, even though it was faint. "Hey, it works!" Rika exclaimed. "This is so cool!" She grinned, pounding her fists together, only to yelp in surprise when a small electrical field formed around the gloves as the lighting was discharged. Immediately, the blue glow faded from the gloves, leaving Rika to figure out what had happened.

"Careful," Aleister began. "They're set to discharge the energy within them upon hit, so make those hits count. The gloves will only discharge so much lighting at once, so depending on how much energy Mikoto puts into them, you'll need refills.

Mikoto only smirked, channeling more power into the device and watching as the gloves sparked to life again and the boots began glowing brighter. "The boots follow the same rule. They'll discharge a fixed amount of power, so they'll need to be recharged, but the boots are less sensitive to avoid discharging while you're walking—you'll have to kick pretty hard for them to actually register. The device Mikoto is using sends an even amount of power to both the gloves and the boots, unless they're both full. In that case, the device will assume that you're trying to blast lighting from the gloves, so it'll send power to the gloves to overload them. Try it now; overload the gloves."

Rika pointed her hand at the wall and waited while Mikoto quickly charged up the gloves. At one point, the gloves gave out a small beep, and Rika frowned. "That means that the gloves are being overloaded," Aleister interrupted, causing Mikoto to pause. Kuroko—who had long since stepped back—was watching the demonstration with great interest. "The optimal time to use the gloves for blasting is anytime after the gloves have notified you that they're being overloaded, but don't wait too long; the gloves can only handle so much power. There's a button on the top of the glove along the armguard. Push it."

Rika did so, gasping as a bolt of lightning shot from her outstretched hand. She, as well as Mikoto and Kuroko, stared with grins on their faces as they looked at the new weapon. "This…is going to be awesome," said Mikoto.

***Page Break***

Siren and Mikoro watched the screen with narrowed eyes. The screen depicted their enemies—the Evolved—traveling in tight formation. Ever since the others left to retrieve Aleister's weapon, Siren and Mikoro had been watching the Evolved and their movements.

"I don't think they plan on splitting up any time soon," Mikoro muttered. "You guys shook them up quite a bit; they're far more cautious now."

"And we're far beyond the point of trying to trick them by using Luke's face," Siren growled. "They'll no it's me the moment I make contact, so that plan's a waste."

"I think Aleister may have something up his sleeve," Mikoro commented. "If we've got his weapon with us, we stand a better chance of winning. Maybe with it, we'll be able to take more than one of them head on."

"Possibly, but all of them at once?" Siren shook his head. "Now way; they'd _destroy_ us if we went up against them like that. You can't forget, they've got the Infected with them. Individually, an Infected isn't that much of a problem, but they won't come at us individually."

Mikoro frowned, only to jump in surprise as several shadows suddenly appeared on the wall in front of her. Siren had whirled around, but relaxed when he saw Mikoto, Kuroko, and Rika standing behind them. Rika grinned and waved, giving Siren and Mikoro a good look at her new gloves. "Well, do they work?" asked Siren.

Mikoto rolled her eyes. "If they didn't, you'd be able to tell by our facial expressions. They work fine, and so does the charging-device-thingy."

Mikoro raised an eyebrow—an action Siren mirrored—and the two looked on at the device in Mikoto's hand. "That's the thing used to charge the gloves and boots?"

Mikoto nodded and turned around. "Give me a minute; I need to put the thing on and I don't want you guys to watch me dress." Kuroko grinned, covering her mouth with her hand as a knowing look crept onto her face. "Oh, and someone keep Kuroko busy," Mikoto said in a tired tone.

Kuroko's grin vanished and her head hung low. "Onee-sama," she whined. "What if you need help?"

Mikoto's own palm slapped her in the face as she sighed in annoyance. "I think I can handle myself in such a situation."

"I suggest you hurry up," Aleister interrupted, his voice bursting in their ears. "Every second we spent talking gives the Evolved more time to prepare and gather their forces."

Rika narrowed her eyes. "What could they be doing? What do they have to prepare?"

"I don't know, but do you really want to find out?" asked Aleister.

"Fair enough," Rika muttered.

"Moving on," Siren interrupted. "What's our next plan of attack? A trap like the last one probably won't work again, so we've got to try something new. The question is _what_?"

Silence hung over them for a second before Aleister spoke. "If we can't trick them into splitting up, we have to force them to split up. If we can destroy their ability to communicate, and then separate them, we can try picking them off one by one. The only problem is that we'd be on a time limit; separating the Evolved will buy us time, yes, but then they'll start looking for each other in order to regroup...unless there's something stopping them from doing that."

"Alright," said Mikoro. "So how are we supposed to get them to split up?"

"As far as I can tell, we need something powerful enough to challenge Ares long enough for us to begin working on the others," began Aleister. "Siren isn't ready; Ares is currently furious with him, and facing him head on at the moment is too big a risk. No, we need something bigger and more intimidating than Siren."

Kuroko's eyes widened as something came to mind. "The Leader Hydra?"

"Yes," Aleister replied. "We need to draw it out. Finding the one controlling it would take too long, so we need to find a way to draw it out. Luckily, I've noticed a pattern in its movements and attacks. I've been keeping an eye on that creature for some time. It has a tendency to attack the Infected, so if we can grab its attention, we may be able to use it to cause a distraction large enough for us to engage."

"Say we somehow get the Leader Hydra to show up during our fight with the Evolved," began Rika. "What then?"

"The Leader Hydra will probably target something that it finds to be powerful. Luckily, Ares will be traveling with his Evolved, so you'll need to point the Leader Hydra towards Ares. Once it has him occupied, the rest of you can move in. With Ares busy and Luke dead, the only Evolved left are Clara, Grevin, and Laren. Mikoto and Kuroko can take on Laren, Siren can attack Grevin, and—"

"I get Clara," said Rika, a vicious grin spreading across her face. "I'm liking this plan already."

"Just don't kill her yet," Siren muttered. "We may still need her."

Rika grunted in annoyance. "She'll live. She may not be as recognizable when I'm done, but I won't kill her…yet."

Aleister cleared his throat, catching their attention. "Once you're all engaged in battle, you need to lead your opponent away from Ares. We need to drive them apart, destroy their communications, and keep them all busy until Siren can consume them. However, I fear that Ares will end up killing the Leader Hydra if it doesn't retreat. Once that happens, you'll be out of time, and we may very well be doomed."

"I'm sorry, what?" Mikoto asked as she came back from dressing. "Doomed? How?"

"We've frightened the Evolved," began Aleister. "They're now traveling in tight formation to avoid being picked off, and if we manage to kill off any more of them, I fear Ares will call in reinforcements. If we fail to kill _all_ the Evolved this time, they'll just go into hiding, call for backup, and wait until their numbers are enough to overwhelm us. In order to avoid this, we need to kill all of the Evolved and then track down Ares, and we have to succeed this time. There will be no second chances after this."

"Wait, we're supposed to finish them off _now_? We're not ready!" protested Siren. "Ares can still—"

"If you consume the remaining Evolved and _still _can't beat Ares," Aleister interrupted. "Then we'd be done for anyway. The others will be there too, but this entire plan revolves around you becoming as powerful as possible by consuming the Evolved. If all of you together still can't beat Ares, even after Siren has consumed the Evolved, then…"

"That's it. They'll win," breathed Mikoto. "The literal fate of the world rests on our shoulders right now. The only way to save it is to stop the Evolved right here, right now."

"Failure is not an option," Aleister finished. "If you survive, but fail to kill the Evolved and Ares, they'll just have to wait us out. This is it. The balance between our factions was far more even than you thought. The Evolved are not in complete control. They're not invincible. You can defeat them, you can do this."

"So the primary objective here is to destroy their communications, drive them apart, and prevent them from regrouping? All while the Leader Hydra, who we have no way of luring in, is the only thing standing between Ares and us? Sounds a bit…'iffy'," said Siren.

"Do you have a better suggestion?" asked Aleister.

Siren hesitated, pondering the question. Did he have something better to offer? The answer was simple; "No."

"I understand that most of you aren't prepared to run into this; I assume you expected to have more time to prepare and maybe kill off another Evolved or two, but sadly, that isn't the case. You've pushed the Evolved, you've _shown_ them that their hold on Academy City isn't unbreakable. You're coming for them, and they know it. And now, they're desperate and on edge. Another attack will push them over that edge, so the only option is to finish them off before they can fall over that edge."

Mikoto gulped. "So…this is it. We're really going to attack all of them at once."

Siren sighed. "It's been nice knowing you guys. Oh, and someone should tell Touma and Index about this."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I thought you'd be against that. Why the sudden change of heart? You hate giving out information."

Siren narrowed his eyes at the esper. "Our chances of survival are not that high. We might as well tell Touma and Index that we're taking such a risk. That way, someone will know that we died fighting for Academy City if we don't come back."

Silence hung over them for a second before Kuroko sighed. "It's been fun guys," she said with a small smile. "Let's do this."

***Page Break***

Mikoto cracked her knuckles as she stared out over the city. Next to her, Siren and Rika were glancing about, using their heightened senses to look for immediate signs of danger. Kuroko had walked up behind Mikoto, placing her good hand on Mikoto's shoulder. "Alright, Onee-sama," she began. "This is it; we're going to launch a large-scale attack on all the Evolved at once."

Mikoto smirked. "It's time to take back our city. These monsters are going to know what it means to mess with an esper."

"How are the two of you always so optimistic?" Siren interrupted. "Some of us might die today."

Mikoto rolled her eyes. "Stop thinking like that. You'll be more likely to give up, and we can't have you doing that, not when we're only a few battles from destroying the Evolved."

"For all we know, we may be a hundred battles away from finishing this. And technically, we're not destroying the Evolved—we're only killing a few of them. The rest are scattered around the world," Siren muttered. "Like I said earlier; if we save Academy City, we've still only won one battle. This may very well result in a war. A war where it's humans against the Infected."

"Siren," Kuroko snapped. "This is no time for your depressing talk; we've got Evolved to beat."

"Alright," began Aleister. "Once you attack the Evolved, the high concentration of battling Infected is sure to lure in the Leader Hydra. When it makes an appearance, just make sure it sees Ares; it'll attack him."

"I get Clara," Rika began. "Siren gets Grevin, and Kuroko and Mikoto get Laren. Sounds good."

"Remember," Siren called. "_Don't_ kill Clara yet. It looks like we'll need her for consumption so that our chance of beating Ares is maximized."

Rika rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. By the way, if I don't get to kill Clara, you'll _owe_ me, buddy. That bitch is rightfully mine."

Siren just stared at her. "There's something seriously wrong with you." The comment was met with a collective laugh from the three girls in front of him. "Oh, like _you're_ one to talk," Mikoto said while chuckling. "Mr. I-Eat-People thinks _we've_ got problems."

"Oh shut up," Siren growled. "Anyway, the Evolved should be close by. Let's get this show on the road." With that, Siren grabbed Mikoto while Rika took hold of Kuroko. The two jumped into the air, their companions in their arms as they soared over buildings.

"Guys," said Mikoro through their earpieces. "The cameras show that the Evolved and Ares are moving in a group a couple hundred meters to your right. There is a ton of Infected moving around them right now, so that's going to help draw out the Leader Hydra."

_Wonder why the Leader Hydra hasn't attacked if there are so many Infected there now…_

"Alright, Mikoro," Siren replied. "Thanks."

"Look alive, ladies," Rika called with a grin. "We're about to kill us some Evolved!"

They continued on, knowing that very soon, they'd see their enemies. Seconds passed like hours as they moved. A few stray sparks danced across Mikoto's hands as she clenched and unclenched her fists in anticipation.

Eventually, they saw them; the Evolved. They were standing together, Infected crawling around on their rooftop and countless more shuffling around on the streets below them. Ares was barking out orders to the Evolved, and Siren and Rika took the opportunity to set Mikoto and Kuroko down on a rooftop. The moment they let go, Kuroko grabbed Mikoto's hand, and the two of them disappeared as Kuroko teleported them into a more favorable, better hidden position.

Meanwhile, Siren and Rika split up. While the girl moved quickly and quietly, Siren walked forward, crouching on the rooftop to avoid being seen and began waiting for Mikoto and Rika to initiate the attack.

"Alright, I'm in a good position. Everybody else ready?" asked Rika.

Siren's hand came up to his earpiece. "Good on my end. Mikoto? Kuroko?"

"We're all set," responded Mikoto. "Fire in five seconds. Four seconds. Three seconds. Two seconds. One second."

"Surprise motherfuckers!" shouted Rika. The moment she said that, two blasts of lightning, each from opposite directions, suddenly came flying out of nowhere, straight for the Evolved. Said Evolved only barely managed to notice the attack, just before it hit them.

They were sent scattering, each shouting curses and looking for the source of the attack. Siren moved instantly, quickly jumping across rooftops and trying to avoid being seen. His target was Grevin, but since the explosion, he had yet to actually locate the Evolved.

Siren looked over, eyes narrowing when he saw Laren nearby. The Evolved hadn't yet noticed him, but that was quickly changed. Laren's head swiveled and he made eye contact with Siren. The Evolved's eyes widened as he pointed an accusing finger at Siren, his mouth opening to alert the other Evolved. Unfortunately for him, he was interrupted as a Mikoto's signature attack—the Railgun—hit him dead in the back. The Evolved gasped as the coin shot through his body, sending him flying.

Siren knew Kuroko would teleport herself and Mikoto to the Evolved, so he paid Laren no mind. By now, the Evolved had figured out who was behind the attack, and were searching for him. The smoke and debris kicked up by both Mikoto's shot and the shot from Rika's gloves had provided decent cover, hiding the group from sight. Siren activated his Infected Vision, and his eyes quickly locked onto a humanoid form landing on a rooftop not far from him.

Making a mad dash for it, he was relieved to find Grevin standing there, frantically searching around for any sign of whoever attacked them. It wasn't long before he made eye contact with Siren, who had deactivated his visual power. Grevin's fists clenched and he immediately alerted his comrades.

"Mercer's here!" roared the Evolved, all while jumping forward to meet Siren midair. Siren only grinned, pulling back his right fist and activating his Musclemass power. Grevin's arms transformed into Whipfists and he swung both weapons at Siren, who caught one in each hand.

With the strength of the WHITELIGHT and the increase in power he got from consuming Luke, Siren twisted in the air, swinging Grevin around and throwing him away from where he assumed the others were. Grevin recovered quickly, spreading out his limbs and gliding to halt his movement. By the time he was in complete control of his movements, Siren was already in front of him, one leg cocked back and ready to deliver a crushing kick.

With a growl, Siren kicked Grevin with all his might, watching as the Evolved was sent flying.

***Page Break***

From the corner of her eye, Rika noticed Grevin fly out of the column of smoke and dust that was rising from the battlefield. Siren came charging out after him, focusing entirely on his task. Rika pointed her hand at the battlefield, not really aiming at anything, and pushed the button, firing a blast of electricity.

Raising her free hand, she repeated the action, shooting another blast into the smoke. Mikoto's shooting had stopped a little while ago, so that meant either something went wrong, or she had found her target. "Mikoto," began Rika. "Are you and Kuroko fighting La—"

"No time to talk!" shouted Mikoto through Rika's earpiece. "In the middle of—crap! Kuroko, watch out for the Hunters!" Rika only nodded, killing off her communication with the electric esper to avoid distracting her. Looking down, she saw that the lights on her gloves and boots were still glowing, showing that she still had electricity, and judging by the strength of the lights, she had enough for at least one more, full-power shot.

Pointing her hand at the ground, she sent a blast of lighting, smirking as she heard some of the weaker Infected being torn apart by the electricity. Now, with her gloves a little lower on energy, she decided to save whatever power remained for the actual punching and kicking.

She stepped over the ledge of the rooftop, her hand shooting up to her earpiece. "Mikoro, Aleister, do either of you have eyes on Clara or Ares?"

A moment passed before both the onlooker replied with a 'no'. Rika gulped. If the Leader Hydra didn't show up, their plan would fall to pieces because there'd be no one to hold off Ares.

As if on cue, a figure leapt out of the smoke, spinning like a madman and planting a vicious kick in Rika's side. The girl's eyes widened as time seemed to slow, and she got a good look at Ares. The man's face displayed a cold fury—not the red-hot anger she was used to seeing in some of the thugs she had fought, but a menacing stare that was filled with hatred. He wasn't snarling at her or baring his teeth, but his eyes were wide with an anger that she didn't understand.

Time seemed to fall back into place as Ares' kick sent Rika flying. She coughed as the air was forced from her lungs. She barely had time to get in control of her own movement, narrowly avoiding a large building. Her eyes snapped up and she noticed Ares' Whipfist already flying at her.

She dodged out of the way with a yelp, still wondering what had happened to the furious Prototype.

_Something's wrong. Ares doesn't seem like the type to go ballistic over the loss of one underling, so what's pissing him off so much?_

Her question went unanswered as Ares activated his Tendrils power and sent dozens of tendrils at her. Rika growled and dove forward, rather than retreating. Using the smoke and dust as cover, she jumped about on the street below, listening as Ares' tendrils slammed into the street.

_Where the heck is Clara?!_

Rika was pulled from her thoughts as someone slammed into her from behind. She barely managed to catch a glimpse of Ares before he vanished into the smoke. Rika's eyes widened when she noticed that Ares' eyes were glowing yellow.

_Crap! Infected Vision—he can see me in the smoke!_

She had walked into a death trap. Ares could see her, but she couldn't see him. Ares proved her right once more as Rika felt a pair of Claws dig into her back. Her body went to work repairing itself, and Rika turned around, throwing a punch at Ares. With his Claws still in her back, Ares didn't have the time to dodge, and took Rika's attack head on.

Lighting flashed around Rika's hand as her punch impacted with Ares' face. The Prototype grunted in surprise, shuffling back and yanking his Claws out of Rika. The girl frowned in annoyance when she realized Ares wasn't as hurt as she would have like him to be.

The Prototype growled and stared back at her. Suddenly, his eyes widened considerably and he looked down at the ground. Before Rika could react, the earth began shaking and the ground began to rise. She grinned as she realized what was happening.

The Leader Hydra was here.

***Page Break***

Mikoto spun around, planting her foot in the chest of a weak Infected that just so happened to come too close. Turning back around, she grabbed the outstretched hand of Kuroko, all while firing a blast of electricity at an approaching Laren.

The Evolved spun out of the way of the blast, only to stop and begin frantically looking around as Kuroko teleported herself and Mikoto to a nearby rooftop for a height advantage. Now that they were above him, Mikoto charged up lighting in both her hands before firing down at Laren, grinning as she caught the Evolved off guard.

"Mikoto!" shouted Rika through her earpiece. "I need electricity!" Mikoto responded by pumping electricity into the device for a few seconds before Rika spoke again.

"Enough!" shouted Rika. Mikoto cut the flow of electricity and focused back on Laren, who was jumping up the side of the building with frightening speed. Mikoto grabbed on to Kuroko, fired another blast of lighting, and the two teleported away.

When they arrived at another rooftop, Mikoto leaned forward, focusing on Laren.

_Alright, as long as we keep our distance, this guy should be easy to stall. He doesn't have any ranged attacks like Grevin or Ares, so if all goes well, we should be fine, and one of my earlier attacks destroyed his earpiece, so we shouldn't have to worry about reinforcements from the other Evolved._

Even without the earpiece, that still left the Infected around them, and Laren knew it. The Evolved was raising his arms in the air, a strained expression on his face as red mist gathered around him. Mikoto's eyes widened and she sent a stream of lighting at Laren. Shortly before he could call any more Hunters, the blast hit him dead in the chest, flinging him backwards.

He recovered quickly, but instead of charging at Mikoto and Kuroko, he jumped away, taking cover around the corner of a building. Kuroko was already grabbing Mikoto, preparing to teleport them into a position from which they could attack Laren and prevent him from summoning Hunters.

The two girls teleported to a rooftop overlooking Laren's position, only to pause in surprise when the Evolved was nowhere to be seen. A moment later, they heard Laren's thundering roar and watched as a cloud of red mist erupted from an alleyway not far from where they were looking.

Mikoto cursed under her breath; Laren had called Infected to his position. She and Kuroko spared a second to look around, searching for the approaching Infected. "There!" shouted Kuroko, pointing to a Hunter that was leaping across rooftops to get to them.

"We've got another one coming from our right," Mikoto called while glancing between the Hunter she spotted and the alleyway. "Crap," she hissed. "Kuroko! I can't see Laren! Get us to a safer—"

She was cut off as Laren jumped from behind the building they were on, whirling around and swinging his duel Blades. Mikoto shoved Kuroko away without thinking, all while jumping back to avoid being cut in half. Laren's Blades slammed against the roof, cracks forming and reaching out from the point of impact.

Mikoto was forced to jump back further as Laren spun around, reaching out with his Blades and preventing both girls around him from counterattacking. Without physical contact from Kuroko, Mikoto had no choice but to fight back and try to get Laren away from them so that she and Kuroko could teleport away.

Unfortunately, it seemed as though Laren had realized this as well, because he was already charging at Mikoto. The esper yelped as she narrowly dodged a stab at her head, before responding by firing a small blast of lighting at Laren. The Evolved spun out of the way, only to shout in surprise as two needles landed in his eyes.

Mikoto turned to Kuroko, who was smirking. "That was for my hand!" she shouted at the Evolved. Mikoto smirked as well and dashed at Kuroko. Her friend reached out, preparing to grab her, only to recoil in surprise as one of the earlier Hunters landed on the roof, shrieking its head off.

The two girls turned to the new threat almost on instinct, and that was all it took for their opportunity to fall to pieces. Before she knew it, Mikoto's legs were swept out from under her by Laren's leg. She risked a glance at him as she fell and noticed that the needles were still in his eyes.

_Did he hit me by sheer __**luck**_?!

Mikoto crawled away as Laren lashed out, blindly swinging his Blades. Mikoto then noticed that Kuroko wasn't on the same rooftop, but the Hunter was looking around curiously.

_She must have teleported away._

Half a second after that thought crossed her mind, Kuroko had teleported right next to her, grabbing her arm and the two teleported her to anther rooftop. The moment they did that, Rika's voice came through on Mikoto's earpiece. "Electricity! Need it n—shit! Now!"

Again, Mikoto pumped lighting into the device, waiting until Rika told her to stop. When the command to stop finally came, Mikoto ceased the action, watching as Laren began pulling the needles form his eyes. The two girls took a moment to breathe while the Evolved was busy and his Hunters were either approaching or just watching.

"Why aren't the Hunters coming for us?" Kuroko asked suspiciously. Suddenly, Laren turned to them, one eye still bloody and pierced by the needle, the other wide open and staring at them. A small grin had formed on his face as he watched them.

Mikoto stepped back, preparing for whatever Laren had in store for them. "I don't like that look on his face. We should—"

Mikoto was interrupted by the sound of something very big and very heavy landing on their rooftop, as well as the sound of Kuroko screaming. She whirled around, panic written on her face, only for her eyes to widen in horror as she saw Kuroko, whose once-good arm was now shredded and awkwardly bent, get flung away by the massive clawed paw of a Hunter that had made its way onto their rooftop.

Kuroko landed on a separate rooftop, eyes wide and arm bent and twisted. Blood poured freely from her arm and her body shook from the shock of the attack. Mikoto just stood there, jaw hanging open as she watched her friend.

She was forced to turn around again as she heard Laren leaping from his rooftop with a roar. "I know how to beat you now!" he shouted as he approached her, his duel Blades fanned out and ready for combat.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Desperate Attempt: To clarify why this chapter exists/why the story is taking this turn; I'm trying to emphasize the fact that the protagonists don't have the luxury to sit around and plan, all while slowly picking off the Evolved. Their actions have created a situation in which they can't afford to try and pick off the Evolved over time, so they're forced to stand and fight, even though they don't think they're ready. Also, I have to end this story sometime, and I didn't want to drag out the fight with each and every Evolved (I'm ok with a long story, but if I read a story on fanfiction that's extremely long, I sometimes find myself losing interest, so I want to avoid doing that to you guys). **

**Rika vs. Ares: I thought I'd explain my own thought process behind Rika getting a punch in on Ares when everyone else was failing. The logic here was that Ares was furious for reasons yet unknown, and his mind was clouded with emotions. Because of that, Rika managed to get a hit in on him by herself while he was momentarily stuck. **


	38. Chapter 38

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**ERGOAN: Siren can't use esper powers. I decided to prevent him from being able to do so for balancing reasons, and because his sense of logic would overwrite his morality and he'd just consume everyone to gain enough power to beat the Evolved. **

**GOMT8: I responded to your review through a PM. Thank you for the review, and thanks again for the link. **

**GUEST: Even so, it's still **_**extremely**_** awkward to write, especially since Clara is 30+ years old (she has no assigned age because I didn't think that would be important). As for future Prototype crossovers; it's possible, but I don't have anything specific planned right now. If you have suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them. **

**Chapter 38**

**Turning Tables**

"I know how to beat you now!" roared Laren as he jumped at the two girls. The electric esper looked shocked and terrified—probably because of the injury her friend sustained and because of Laren's approach.

_That teleporting girl makes it nearly impossible to hit those two because she can just teleport away. However, if she doesn't see the attack coming, she can't dodge it_! _Just gather enough Infected, and we can swarm them with numbers. Slow, but it should work. _

Laren blinked in surprise when lighting built up around the electric esper. Her head was hung a little lower than usual, and he could faintly make out an expression of disbelief and shock all across her face. That disbelief and shock quickly turned to unrestrained fury as the girl spread her arms out, shrieking as electricity fired in every direction from her.

Laren squinted slightly as he was blinded momentarily by the light show. The next second, the force of the girl's attack pushed him—and the nearby Hunters—back like dolls. Grunting as he flipped in the air, he felt his feet slam into a rooftop, his body skidding to a stop.

"_Kuroko_!"

He heard her before he saw her. The electric esper was shouting the name of her downed friend, presumably, while trying to reach her. Laren growled slightly, his head swiveling towards the sound of the girl's voice as he looked for her.

Her blast had caused smoke and debris to rise into the air, obscuring his vision. He leapt forward, knowing that if he couldn't see her, she most likely couldn't see him. Fortunately for him, he could hear the electric esper talking to her friend, trying to assure her that everything will be alright.

He smirked slightly as he moved towards the sound of the panicked voice of Misaka Mikoto.

***Page Break***

"Kuroko, Kuroko!" shouted Mikoto, sliding to her knees next to her friend. Her arm was obviously broken and torn in various placed, a testament to the immense strength of the Hunters.

_How is her body not in pieces right now?_

"O-" Kuroko stopped speaking for a second as she violently coughed. "Onee-sama, are you ok?"

Mikoto sighed in relief upon hearing her friend's voice. "Kuroko, you're going to be ok. I'm going to get you out of here, and we're going to patch you up."

Kuroko was shaking her head before Mikoto could finish the sentence. "Remember what Aleister said? We won't get any more chances after this. We have to stall Laren long enough for—" she coughed again, wheezing slightly.

Mikoto's eyes suddenly widened as she saw a figure darting about in the smoke. Acting on instinct, she picked up Kuroko, ignoring the girl's cry of agony and ran, just as Laren came flying out of the smoke, landing right were Kuroko had been lying.

Realizing she had nowhere else to go, Mikoto whirled around, gently setting Kuroko down before turning to face an approaching Laren. Before they could begin fighting, however, Mikoto felt something brushing against her foot. Looking down, she blinked when she saw a smiling Kuroko, her good arm—the one that hadn't just been shredded by the Hunter—brushing against her leg.

Suddenly, the two were on a different rooftop, a decent distance from Laren. Mikoto immediately knelt next to Kuroko, looking the girl over. "How badly are you injured? Can you tell if you've broken anything other than—"

"I—" Kuroko stopped and took a shaky breath. "I moved out of the way on instinct when the Hunter tried to hit me. He hit me with his palm—" Words failed her as she gave a wet cough.

Mikoto looked down at her friend. Part of her was terrified, but part was relieved. "If the Hunter didn't scratch you, you're not infected, but the bones in your arm have cut through you in various places, and being smacked across the rooftop tore you up pretty badly too…"

Mikoto bit her lip, wondering what to do. "Onee-sama," Kuroko began. "We need to keep on fighting. The others are counting on us to do our part. Academy City itself is counting on us. We don't have the luxury of failure. I can still teleport you around, but I can't grab onto you. Nor can I—ah!" Kuroko let out a yelp of pain and hissed. "Oh no," she whispered, her eyes widening. "The shock is wearing off and I'm beginning to feel the pain," she choked out while gasping.

Mikoto's fists clenched. "Crap! We can't leave but you're in no position to fight!"

"I-it's ok, Onee-sama. I know you can beat him. Knock him down and keep him that way until Siren can consume him. I can still teleport around with you, but—"

Mikoto's eyes widened as she thought of something. Turning around, she ran to the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the ground. Taking a small breath, she fired a large blast of electricity at the ground, watching as the road was torn apart upon impact. Running back to Kuroko, she gently picked up her friend and carried her over to the edge of the rooftop.

"You see that crater down there?" asked Mikoto. "I need you to teleport us to it." Kuroko only nodded, shutting her eyes in concentration, and the next thing she knew, Mikoto was standing on the road next to the crater she created. Various Infected shuffled about, drawing closer, and reminding Mikoto that she needed to hurry.

Reaching out with her palm, lighting snaked from her fingertips, burrowing itself into the brown earth that she had exposed by destroying the road. She watched with satisfaction as clouds of iron rose from the dirt, coming together in the palm of her hand to form a long, thin sword.

The clouds of iron vibrated in her hand, turning the sword into something of a chainsaw. As the Infected around her drew closer, she whirled around, reaching out with her sword and cutting them to pieces almost instantly.

When the closest Infected fell to the ground with various missing body parts, she turned to Kuroko. "Alright, Kuroko," she began. "Try teleporting to the hospital, and wait there. I've got a score to settle."

***Page Break***

Grevin gasped as Siren's foot slammed into his chest, sending him flying backwards. The Evolved's Whipfists shot out, piercing Siren's shoulders and pulling him along. The Prototype grunted as Grevin suddenly lurched forward, slamming his head against Siren's.

He stumbled back before jumping backwards, flipping in the air and planting his hands on the ground before using them to spring away. Grevin swung his Whipfist around to try and hit Siren, only to growl when the Prototype dashed out of the way. Siren frowned as he glanced at the Evolved.

_Alright, his communications are gone, and he's alone out here. The only problem is if he tries to destroy my earpiece._

Siren formed his own Whipfist before swinging it at Grevin, who mirrored the action. The Evolved's Whipfist tangled with Siren's and for a minute, the two were locked together. Grevin instantly swung out with his other Whipfist, aiming at Siren's side.

Siren held up his free hand, forming his Shield and allowing Grevin's Whipfist to bounce off. Instead of yanking on the Whipfist he currently had, Siren charged forward, holding the Shield out in front of him. He heard Grevin shout in surprise and jump out of the way. At the same time, Siren felt his own Whipfist being tugged, and yanked back, his increased strength overpowering the Evolved and dragging him back to the ground.

As Grevin slammed into the street, Siren jumped into the air, replacing his Shield and Whipfist with a pair of Hammerfists, and dove towards the downed Evolved. Grevin rolled out of the way the moment he could, narrowly avoiding Siren's attack.

Bouncing backwards, Grevin back flipped over an Infected, quickly giving it a slight tap on the neck. The Infected doubled over as tentacles writhed around its body. Siren's eyes widened as Grevin spun around, kicking the Infected at him.

The Prototype jumped out of the way as the Infected landed, watching as the creature bounced across the street while tentacles fired from its body in every direction. Various other Infected, as well as inanimate objects, were grabbed and instantly pulled into a central point around the Infected.

_Bio-bombs_.

Luke's memories offered information on the practice of using biological organisms as bombs, but that particular Evolved had never tried doing so, nor did he know how to.

_I guess consuming Grevin should give me the ability to do that._

Said Evolved was repeating the action, using one Whipfist to reel in stray Infected and using his other hand to quickly poke them in the neck, all before launching them at Siren. The silver-haired fighter dodged and ducked, jumping around and looking for an opportunity to attack Grevin.

_He's a lot faster than Clara was when she was throwing around those bio-bombs._

A Whipfist formed on his arm and Siren launched it forward, aiming at the Evolved. However, Grevin sidestepped, just before throwing an Infected that was in his arms. Siren braced himself as the Infected slammed into him, tendrils shooting out and dragging various objects—both living and nonliving—towards him and slamming them against him.

He fell from the air, flipping and pointing his hands at the ground as he formed his Hammerfists. He slammed into the street, spikes erupting from the ground in a triangle-shaped pattern, heading straight for Grevin, forcing him to jump into the air to avoid being impaled.

Without Infected to throw, Siren knew he had a clear shot at Grevin. With a roar, he launched himself into the air, yanking the spikes back into his fists. Quickly forming his Blade in one hand and a Claw in the other, he spun in the air, holding out the longer weapon in an attempt to cut Grevin.

The Evolved, though slower, barely managed to dodge the attack, but before he could get out of the way, Siren reached out with his Claw, three of the bladed digits piercing Grevin's chest. Before his opponent could react, Siren had replaced his Blade with another Claw, wrapping it around Grevin and flipping backwards, pointing Grevin's head at the ground as he let gravity take hold.

They fell to the street with a crash, kicking up debris and Infected in every direction. For a moment, the two shape shifters didn't move. Then, Siren felt Grevin twist out of his grasp, whirling around on the ground until he could stand up. Siren dove out of the way as Grevin hauled himself to his feet.

The Prototype failed to stand before Grevin attacked, lashing out with his Whipfists. Both weapons dug into Siren's chest, and Grevin turned around, throwing Siren over his head, but maintaining his hold. The action resulted in Siren slamming into the ground headfirst, with Grevin's Whipfists still in his body.

Grevin tried spinning around, but Siren planted a hand on the ground, reinforcing it with his Musclemass power. Grevin found himself unable to drag Siren, and looked back, only to shout in surprise as Siren yanked on his Whipfist with a powerful limb that was reinforced with Musclemass.

Siren jumped to his feet, still holding on to the Whipfist. He began spinning in a circle, whirling the Evolved around before letting go, watching as Grevin went flying into a building, causing Siren to smirk.

_He's got no chance of winning this. He can barely hurt me, and he can't call for backup. Still, I need to remain calm; never a smart idea to underestimate these guys._

To prove his point, Grevin shot out of the building, spreading his limbs and unleashing an animal-like shriek as red mist erupted from his body. Siren's eyes widened as he realized what he had just let Grevin do. With a grunt, he dashed forward, jumping into the air and forming his Claws. He pounced at the other shape shifter, only to miss and watch with no small amount of annoyance as the Evolved plummeted to the ground, all while turning to Siren, and giving him a cocky wave.

Siren's head snapped up as he heard the sounds of approaching Hunters—three of them, to be exact. With a growl, Siren swung around to face Grevin, only to be treated to a face-full of Grevin's Whipfists. Temporarily blinded by the blades in his face, Siren fell to the ground, landing with a thud.

Before he could recover, he felt something land on top of him—something heavy. He grunted as a foot slammed into his chest repeatedly. His hands flew up to his face, and he quickly yanked the Whipfists out. He focused on regenerating at least one eye so that he could see, and when sight finally returned to him, he saw Grevin raising both hands over his head.

Siren kicked out with his legs, disrupting the Evolved's attack and breaking free. He rolled away, his other eye already regenerating, along with the rest of his face. He spun around, ready to face the Evolved once more, only to jump back in surprise as a Hunter came crashing through cars as it charged him.

Siren vaulted over the creature, planting his hand on its back for support before forming Claws on his free hand and digging into the Hunter's back. Powerful muscles and a thick hide prevented him from doing any real damage, but it was enough to stun the Hunter.

_Great. Now that I've killed Luke, the other Evolved are more paranoid when fighting me. I should expect them to call in backup when we battle._

Sure enough, more Hunters came bounding over the rooftops, jaws hanging open, showing their yellow, bloody teeth. Turning around, he quickly spotted Grevin running up the side of a nearby building. "Oh no you don't," Siren growled as he took off after the Evolved. Dodging blows from the approaching Hunters, Siren made his way to the same building, quickly jumping up the side, only occasionally planting his feet on the wall as he launched himself upwards again and again.

Because of his superior speed, he soon caught up to Grevin. The Evolved had yet to notice him, so Siren quickly formed his Whipfist and sent it flying at Grevin. The weapon buried itself in the Evolved's back, much to his surprise and fury. Siren yanked Grevin back down, jumping from the wall and tackling the other shape shifter midair as the two began falling.

Siren pointed Grevin's head at the ground, frowning as the Evolved slashed at him with his Whipfists, but to no avail. With the ground quickly approaching, Siren braced for impact, silently hoping that no Hunter would crash into them. Luckily, no such thing happened, and the two shape shifters soon hit the ground with a thunderous crash. Grevin momentarily went limp in Siren's arms, but just as Siren pulled back his fist, Grevin sat up, his head making painful contact with Siren's.

The Prototype stumbled back, blood pouring over his eyes, temporarily blinding him. He felt a foot connect with his chest, just before something incredibly large tackled him from behind. Siren instantly realized that a Hunter was on top of him, and grunted in surprise when the creature picked him up in its jaw, shaking its head from side to side like a shark to tear him to pieces.

Siren mentally cursed the creature, all while pulling back his free hand and forming a Hammerfist. He slammed the mace-like limb on the head of the Hunter, causing it to stumble and let go of him. The moment his feet hit the ground, Siren jumped into the air, raising both fists over his head, his non-Hammerfist hand quickly forming into the weapon of choice before he dropped, slamming both Hammerfists on the head of the Hunter. The creature gave a weak groan before tentacles shot out from Siren's body, partially consuming the beast.

Before the other Hunters could intervene, Siren turned around, only to see Grevin trying to reach his other Hunters. With an annoyed groan, Siren shot off after him, jumping through the air and allowing his superior speed to do its work. He could tell that Grevin would reach the Hunters before he'd reach Grevin, so the two creatures would probably try to stop Siren the moment he got close.

Frowning, he spread his limbs and glided forward, all before angling his body downwards and diving forwards, arms held still at his sides. He aimed at the Hunters that Grevin would surely meet soon, and waited as his body flew at the beasts.

As he neared them, he flipped forward, aiming his feet at the ground and crashed into it, the force generated by his attack sending both the Hunters and Grevin flying. The Evolved gave a shout of surprise, failing to recover quickly. Siren jumped into the air after him, forming Claws on both his hands, and pounced at the Evolved, Claws fanned out and ready to shred the viral being.

Unfortunately, said viral being managed to recover, and twisted out of the way. Siren ended up missing him by a few inches, which only made him more frustrated. His thoughts were cut short, however, as a deafening roar sounded throughout the area. Siren smirked at the sound of the Leader Hydra's roar.

_That thing's still alive…let's hope it stays that way._

***Page Break***

Rika grinned as her fist made contact with Clara's head, the gloves doing their work as a small burst of electricity sent the Evolved stumbling back in surprise. Rika moved forward, aiming a high kick at Clara's head. The Evolved tried to block with her forearm, but a burst of electricity from the boot momentarily stunned her. Rika, seeing an opportunity, sprang forward, slamming her head into Clara's face.

In the distance, she could hear the roars of the Leader Hydra as it battled Ares. The creature's timing had been impeccable, and Rika planned on making full use of the opportunity by beating Clara to the point where the woman wasn't capable of walking, much less fighting.

_I'd have to get past her healing factor and damage her to the point where she's too weak to heal, but whatever; I don't care how long it takes._

Said healing factor was probably the thing that put the Evolved so far above any of the other Infected—save for the Prototypes—and Rika knew it was an issue that had to be addressed. With a growl, she sprang forward, noting the faint blue light from the gloves, indicating that she had two or three more strikes left before the gloves needed recharging.

_Luckily I've got the boots!  
_

A wordless roar tore past Rika's lips as she launched herself at Clara, aiming a kick at the woman's head. Said woman craned her neck to the side, her entire body leaning in the same direction to avoid the kick. Her hand shot out, grabbing Rika by the ankle and slamming her into the ground. With the limb encased in her Musclemass power, the throw had much more power behind it.

Still, Rika recovered quickly, planting her hands on the ground and lashing out with her foot. Clara jumped over her kick, raising both hands over her head as she prepared to slam them down on Rika. The dark-haired girl raised her arms, catching Clara's wrists. The force behind Clara's attack was enough to activate the gloves, tricking them into thinking that Rika had punched something. The devices discharged electricity, and while the armguards protected Rika's arms, Clara wasn't so lucky.

Lightning snaked up Clara's arms, causing her to grunt from a mixture of surprise and pain. Rika let go of the Evolved, jumping to her feet as Clara stumbled back. The Evolved's resistance to electrical attacks wasn't as complete as what the Prototypes had to offer—mostly because the Prototypes were quite literally made of a stronger substance.

Rika smirked as she realized that her attacks were that much more effective against Clara than against Ares. With the Prototype busy with the Leader Hydra, Rika was free to punish this Evolved for what she did.

And punish her she would.

Rika planted a kick in the center of the Evolved's stomach, a sizable amount of lighting discharging from her foot as Clara was pushed back. The Evolved was clearly annoyed with the constant lighting-based attacks she was facing, because she bounced back, red mist gathering around her body.

Rika made the mistake of pausing in confusion, only to realize that Clara was calling for more Infected. The dark-haired girl cursed under her breath as Clara let out a loud roar, the red mist around her body exploding in a massive cloud. Knowing that more Infected would soon arrive, Rika dashed forward, jumping into the air with a roar and bringing both fists down in an attempt to hit Clara.

The woman rolled out of the way, stopping on all fours and lifting a massive piece of the road off the ground and holding it over her head. With a grunt, the woman threw the makeshift weapon, causing Rika to dive out of the way. The moment Rika moved, the Evolved was in front of her, foot cocked back in preparation for a kick. Rika's eyes widened as Clara's foot met her midsection, causing her to cough as the force of the kick forced the air from her lungs. Rika was sent flying backwards by Clara's kick and she could feel something break.

Rika landed with a grunt, rolling across the street to help absorb the impact. She finally came to a messy stop, the broken ribs and organs beneath quickly repairing themselves. Rika spat out a bit of blood before looking back at Clara, who was already charging in for another attack. Rika narrowed her eyes and raised a hand to her earpiece.

"Mikoto, lightning please," she said. For a few seconds, nothing happened, and Rika paused with worry as Clara approached. Finally, the gloves and boots sparked as Mikoto channeled power from somewhere. Rika grinned before sprinting forward at Clara. The woman had her own fist cocked back as she approached, a wide grin on her face.

The two both punched at the same time, and both landed a hit. Clara's fist slammed into Rika's cheek, while Rika's fist found Clara's cheek. The Musclemass-empowered fist that hit Rika sent her flying, but at the same time, Rika's punch sent Clara flying as well, plus, the woman suffered the electrical shock delivered by the gloves. Rika found herself bouncing across the street once more before skidding to a stop, slightly annoyed that Clara had managed to land two hits like that.

Rika rose to her full height, raising her hand and aiming her palm at Clara. With her free hand, she pushed the button on her glove, and watched as a blast of electricity was sent in Clara's direction. The female Evolved, clearly not expecting such an attack, was caught completely off guard, and thrown backwards by the blast of electricity.

Rika rushed forward, fully intent on beating the Evolved into submission if she had to. Her footsteps created cracks in the street from her weight, and by the time she was in a full sprint, the earth would crack and split wherever she stepped.

_This was the bitch that murdered my family._

Her anger pushed her, and she sped up, eyes shrinking in fury as she tackled her family's murderer. Clara grunted, but a grin quickly spread across her face as she grappled with Rika. Rika's leg shot forward, but Clara blocked with her own leg. Unfortunately for the Evolved, the electricity discharge by Rika's boots threw her off, causing her to jerk her foot back as the dark-haired girl made contact.

Rika seized the moment and kicked again, only for Clara to block again. The electricity discharged into Clara, causing her to make a noise that was something of a cross between a moan and a growl. The boots and gloves were the only thing preventing the electricity from doubling back into Rika, but she couldn't move away—not when her hands were interlocked with Clara's and the two were pushing with all their might to gain an advantage over the other.

Suddenly, Clara leaned back, allowing herself to fall backwards. Rika yelped as she stumbled forward, falling on Clara. The Evolved raised her legs—both still healing after the attacks Rika performed—and planted them on Rika's stomach. Though her legs weren't at their full strength, Clara was still able to exert a considerable amount of force, and shoved Rika away hard enough to send the girl stumbling backwards.

Clara dove out of the way as Rika regained her balance. Rika growled, eyes narrowing at the female Evolved before she whirled around, facing Clara, holding one arm forward and pointing the palm at her. A smirk spread across Rika's face as she pushed the button.

_Eat lighting, bitch!_

***Page Break***

Ares swung his Blade to cut through the tendrils that had been holding his leg. The moment he did so, more tendrils coiled around his arm, quickly dragging him backwards and slamming him into the ground.

The Prototype growled as he cut himself free for what felt like the millionth time. Rolling away from the massive Hydra-arm that slammed into the ground, he jumped to his feet, attempting to put some distance between himself and the Leader Hydra. Again, the creature fired a barrage of tendrils at him, all while fending off the Hunters that Ares can regurgitated.

_It's different this time. Last time, it felt like I was fighting some mindless animal. Now…it's almost…__**desperate**__. Almost like it's trying to stall me, rather than kill me. But then again, this thing is probably one of Mercer's creations. He must be controlling it, he's __**got**__to be. _

He cut through most of the tendrils that had been fired in his general direction, but again, one or two slipped through, and managed to drag him back. It had been like this ever since the Leader Hydra had appeared; it would do everything in its power to prevent him from leaving. After realizing that the Evolved were no longer in contact—probably because their earpieces had been destroyed—Ares had decided to stay behind and deal with the Leader Hydra. He couldn't exactly go prancing around the city looking for his Evolved with this thing chasing after him and shredding through his Infected army.

He grunted as he avoided a tendril that had tried pinning him to the ground by impaling him. Twisting his body to dodge it, he curled into a ball, reaching out with his Blade and slicing through the two tendrils wrapped around his left leg. With them out of the way, he leapt backwards, watching as another Hunter was tossed aside by the Leader Hydra. The creature turned on him and rushed forward as fast as it could. Activating his Tendrils power, Ares sent his own barrage at the Leader Hydra, only for it to counter with an attack that was almost identical in nature.

His tendrils intertwined with the Leader Hydra's, and Ares kept it busy while issuing a mental command to his Hunters to attack from behind. Several of the hulking beasts pounced on the back of the Leader Hydra, desperately trying to pierce its thick hide with little progress.

The Leader Hydra only shot out more tendrils, wrapping them around the Hunters and slowly prying them off its back while fending off Ares' tendrils.

_ Good grief, what the fuck did Mercer do to this thing to make it fight for him like this?_

The Leader Hydra began slithering forward, throwing aside Infected and cars alike as it approached Ares. The Prototype jumped back, retracting his tendrils as the Leader Hydra shot more at him. Twin Shields formed on his arms, and he held them up around him, feeling the impact as the tendrils bounced off. The Shields held up, blocking the Leader Hydra's attacks, but Ares knew that he had to find a way to kill this thing before his Evolved were killed.

_If I go running around the city without any way to contact the others, this thing will just chase me and destroy Infected as it moves. No, it has to be stopped here._

He spread his arms, allowing massive spikes to grow out of the Shields as they stabbed at any tendrils that were still nearby. The tendrils retracted momentarily to avoid being impaled, and Ares took the opportunity to dive to the ground, eyeing the Leader Hydra as he fell. His arms transformed into Hammerfists, and the moment he hit the ground, he jumped into the air, moving towards the Leader Hydra.

The creature began firing its tendrils at him, giving him its attention. Ares issued a mental command to the surrounding Infected, and watched as Hunters and lesser Infected alike threw themselves at the Leader Hydra to try and slow it down as much as possible. For a second, the beast focused on the Infected attacking it, giving Ares the window of opportunity he needed.

He dashed forward, pumping biomass into his legs and running as fast as he could. Before the Leader Hydra could react, Ares threw his entire body forward, aiming an outstretched Hammerfist at the Leader Hydra. The creature seemed to notice him at the last second, because it stretched its body out of the way, much to Ares' surprise.

The Prototype's attack didn't actually make contact with the Leader Hydra; instead, he ended up slamming into the ground behind it, though he was still very close to it. The shockwave generated by his attack still damaged the creature a little, but the ground he landed on and the Infected around him where what was most affected.

Whirling around, Ares raising his fist high into the air before slamming it down, sending tendrils through the ground that rose from the street as large spikes. Several of the spikes impaled the Leader Hydra's lower body, causing it to shriek in fury. Ares jumped back, still watching the creature. Deciding to experiment, Ares turned around and ran. However, before he got far, several tendrils shot into his back, dragging him back onto the battlefield.

Rolling on his side, Ares glanced back at the Leader Hydra with a frown. The creature wasn't as focused on killing him as it was stalling him, so either Mercer had an amazing degree of control over it over long distances or he was still somewhere very close.

_No…that wouldn't make sense. He's not that stupid; he knows he can't beat me on his own, so he's trying to stall me while he tries to consume the Evolved._

Ares' eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind—a thought that he had considered for some time, but had never found the opportunity to make it a reality. For the first time since the fight started, Ares let a small smirk cross his face.

_This…might actually work in my favor._

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Ares' Behavior: I just thought I'd tell you all that there is indeed a reason for Ares' strange behavior (why he's not desperately trying to save the Evolved). That reason will soon be revealed. **


	39. Chapter 39

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWNY ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**ERGOAN: I know, that's the point. The Prototypes in general (Alex Mercer, James Heller, etc.) are already extremely powerful characters. If Siren could consume espers and gain their powers, and if he consumed espers like Mikoto and Accelerator, he could eventually become just short of omnipotent compared to everyone else. If he can't make use of esper powers, it prevents him from becoming too powerful when compared to everyone else. **

**GUEST: Woops, sorry about that (you all appeared as 'Guest' when I checked). Anyway, you may not find it awkward, but I do. If I find something incredibly awkward to write, I'll do a pretty crappy job of writing it (basically, the quality of the story would dip if I tried this specific route). On top of that, I've got plans for Clara, so changing the course of the story now would require a lot of rethinking. The dragons are excluded because this story contains espers, zombies, Hunters, Juggernauts, the Leader Hydra, Prototypes, Evolved, etc. With all that craziness jammed into one story, adding dragons would extend the length of the story beyond what it really needs to be. Again, I'm aiming to finish this soon, so I don't want to start throwing extra stuff in. **

**GUEST WHO ASKED ABOUT OTHER CROSSOVERS: First off, sorry for missing you sooner—I thought you were the other Guest. Anyway, I've never seen Fate Stay Night, but I've seen RWBY. If I don't get anywhere with the next story I had planned (which wasn't a Prototype crossover), I may try a Prototype/RWBY fanfic. **

**Also, a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone who has left a review—we've finally reached 100!**

**Chapter 39**

**Bring Them Down**

Laren blinked when he saw his opponent once more. The two girls had disappeared, but now, only one was returning. She was walking through an open area in the street, her head hung low.

_That's the electric esper…what happened to the teleporting one? Is she dead?  
_

He noticed that this girl was carrying some sort of dark grey sword that, from a distance, almost looked like it was moving. He frowned while looking at the weapon, wondering what exactly it was. Infected of various size were shuffling towards the girl, who seemed to pay them no mind. The moment they closed in, the girl abruptly lifted her sword, her head still facing the ground.

Laren took a step back in surprise when the girl spun around, her sword lengthening and cutting through every Infected that had dared come too close. Laren watched with an expression that mirrored confusion and curiosity before mentally ordering the Infected to stand down. Whatever this development was, it was worth investigating, and that would entail consuming the girl for her memories.

Suddenly, her head snapped up, and Laren met the furious gaze of Misaka Mikoto. "Evolved!" shouted the girl. "I've had enough of you people! You come into our city, kill our people, hurt _my friends_; I'm not letting you get away with this!"

She took a step forward, giving her sword an experimental swing as the weapon lengthened and snapped in the air like a whip before reverting to its normal form. "Come down here, and fight me like a man!"

Laren raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. "You've certainly gained a boost to your confidence," he shouted. "Could that have something to do with your weapon?"

She said nothing, only looking back at him and waiting. Laren hesitated, wondering how to proceed.

_She wouldn't be so cocky if she didn't have a trick up her sleeve, so either that sword is something special, or she's got something else in play…_

He frowned as an idea came to mind. He issued a mental command to one of the Hunters, telling it to attack, but not kill. The beast he had chosen let out a loud roar before jumping off its rooftop, charging at the girl.

Instead of moving, she just stood there, waiting for the Hunter to approach. The creature came close, raising its arm as though preparing for an attack, but the girl reacted, swinging her sword as it cut through the Hunter with murderous ease. Laren's eyes widened at the display.

_She cut through the Hunter as though it were nothing…_

He stared at her sword with curiosity, wondering what could have made it so powerful.

_Just what is that sword?_

***Page Break***

Mikoto clenched her fists as the Evolved stared down at her. "Well?!" she roared. "Is that all you're gonna do?! Sit behind these stupid animals and _**watch**_?! Come down here, and fight. Me. Like. A. MAN!"

She had to bait him into coming down here, whether by angering him or by appealing to his curiosity by displaying her powers. Either way, she had to get him to come to her, because there was no way she was going on the rooftops. All he'd have to do is knock her off, and the fall along might kill her.

_I can cut through the Infected with ease now—probably with more ease than Siren, so they shouldn't be as much of a problem. Laren, however, can heal, so that's the only defense he has against me…_

"I'm curious," Laren called as he jumped to the ground. "What exactly is that sword you're holding?" Part of her wanted to explain to him what the sword was and how it worked, but another part of her was against it, reasoning that telling Laren specifics might give him a way to work around her power. "Come over here and find out," Mikoto shouted.

Laren made no move to attack, opting to stare at her sword like a cat would at an unfamiliar object. Frowning, he bent his knees and held his Blades out in front of him. Mikoto took a step forward, giving her own weapon another experimental swing before holding it out in front of her right leg.

The two eyed each other for a few seconds, wondering how to proceed. Suddenly, Laren dashed forward. Mikoto's eyes widened slightly at the display of speed, but she kept calm. Bracing herself she held the sword out in front of her, parallel to the ground. As Laren approached, she swung the weapon, allowing it to extend as it reached for the approaching Evolved.

Said Evolved jumped into the air, landing behind Mikoto with a thud before whirling around. He swung his Blades down at her, but before they could connect, Mikoto brought up her sword. Laren's Blades made contact with her weapon, and the Evolved's eyes widened as Mikoto's sword began cutting through his Blades like a chainsaw.

_The fuck?! She's human; there's no way she could have blocked me with sheer—wait! Her sword is vibrating! It's almost like a…a chainsaw!_

Mikoto grunted when she realized that the Evolved's weapons hadn't been torn apart instantly. With a growl, she moved her arm, allowing the sword to cut out of Laren's blades. The Evolved step back, only to be forced to backpedal further as Mikoto swung her sword at him once more.

Before he could get far, however, Mikoto fired a blast of lighting from her free hand, causing Laren to step out of the way. Mikoto seized the opportunity and extended her sword at the Evolved. Laren noticed the weapon, but a second too late. He tried jumping out of the way, but the tip of the whip-like sword hit his shoulder.

Laren gasped in surprise as the weapon cut into his arm like it was made of butter. Mikoto grinned when she realized that cutting through Laren would be easy, and the only parts that would take time were his hardened Blades. The Evolved stumbled to the side, clutching his arm, which was now almost completely detached.

Mikoto rushed forward, swinging her sword around again to try and hit Laren in the chest. The Evolved held one Blade out in front of him, catching her sword as his other arm healed. Mikoto frowned as she watched her sword connect with Laren's.

_Judging by how fast it cuts through the Blade, I'd say it would take a few seconds to fully cut through Laren's weapons. _

A smirk crossed her face as the Evolved was forced to dodge again.

_I can make do with that._

***Page Break***

Siren let out a loud roar as his Hammerfist connected with Grevin's head. The Evolved was sent flying by the attack, and Siren heard him let out a groan of frustration and anger. Siren leapt into the air, quickly forming his Blade and descending upon the Evolved. Said Evolved rolled out of the way just as Siren slammed his Blade into the street.

_Shit! The Blade's stuck!_

Before he could move, a Whipfist slammed into his neck, cutting through him with ease. He let out a wet cough as Grevin vaulted over him. "Happy landings," growled the Evolved as he yanked Siren down and threw him across the ground.

Siren slid across the street for a few meters before stopping and slowly climbing to his feet. He glared at Grevin as the Evolved swung his Whipfist once more. Siren held up his Blade, catching the Whipfist and grabbed it with his free hand. He gave the weapon a violent tug, forcing Grevin to stumble forward with a shout.

Siren swung the Evolved around until Grevin was standing in front of him, his back to Siren. The silver-haired Prototype jumped into the air, holding out his Blade and bringing it down on Grevin's shoulder. The Blade cut through him, and the Whipfist Siren was holding detached from the Evolved's shoulder.

Grevin let out a furious roar before hopping away, biomass working quickly to rebuild his lost arm. Siren felt the limb he tore off melting into his hand and fusing with him. He smirked as he looked on at Grevin. "You're going nowhere fast, Grevin," he called. "Why don't you surrender?"

The Evolved let out a feral growl. "Oh don't play that game with me, _Mercer_," hissed Grevin.

_Oh, he's pissed. He's reaching the end of his rope and he knows it. _

Grevin shrieked as he jumped into the air, swinging his Whipfists wildly. Siren quickly formed a shield, allowing the weapons to bounce off. He blinked in confusion when a shadow passed over him. Looking up, he frowned as Grevin passed over him, sprinting across the street and jumping onto a building wall.

_Oh come on. Now I've gotta chase this numbskull down. _

***Page Break***

Clara's mouth hung open in shock as Rika blasted a hole in her chest. The female Evolved stumbled back, coughing violently in surprise. Rika grinned and dashed forward, following up with a brutal uppercut that connected with Clara's chin. The Evolved was sent flying into the air, her body rapidly working to repair the damage caused by Rika's attacks.

Rika didn't let it get that far. Jumping into the air after the Evolved, she raised both hands over her head, ready to send Clara back into the street. The Evolved gave her a slightly shocked look as Rika brought her fists down on Clara, sending the woman back down into the ground below. She landed with a crash while Rika landed on her feet, already holding up her fists in a boxer-like stance.

She watched as Clara dragged herself from the rubble, slowly standing up. The female Evolved sent her a twisted grin while giggling to herself. "Now this, _this_ is a battle worth remembering! Small as it may be, your attacks are still _fucking painful_!" The grin on the woman's face widened. "That's…exciting."

Rika shivered in disgust. "Please keep your creepy fetishes and crap to yourself," she muttered. "I'd like to beat you into a pulp without having to hear them." Clara responded by giggling once more before charging forward. Rika stepped back and held up her arm as Clara threw a vicious punch at her. She grunted when the Evolved's attack pushed her back a few inches, even though the glove protected her arm.

_Gloves or no gloves, Clara's Musclemass power makes her physically stronger than me. And now that she's excited, she's not holding anything back. I've gotta subdue her quickly…_

Rika bent backwards as Clara whirled around, trying to hit Rika with a roundhouse kick. The kick passed by Rika's chest, just barely missing her. The dark-haired girl jolted upright, her fist cocked back as she prepared to throw a powerful punch at the Evolved.

Clara dropped to the ground as Rika threw the punch, allowing Rika to stumble forward a bit. Clara spun around on the ground, sticking her foot out and swiping Rika's feet out from under her, bringing the girl down. Before Rika could scramble to her feet, Clara was already up, her hand held high over her head.

Suddenly, Rika lashed out with her foot, connecting with Clara's knee. The kick itself was weak, but it triggered the sensors in the boots, and they discharged their electricity. Clara grunted as the electricity forced her to step back, giving Rika time to jump to her feet. The younger girl turned to face Clara, still as calm as could be.

Rika held up her hand, beckoning Clara to attack. The Evolved narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked at Rika. Suddenly, Clara turned around and began sprinting away from Rika, who blinked in surprise.

"Huh? H-Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" she shouted, taking off after Clara. The woman began hitting Infected at random, and Rika noticed that every Infected she touched would double over as tentacles writhed around its body.

She hesitated for a moment, but decided to keep moving. Clara didn't seem to have any pattern to her movements; she'd just hit Infected at random and keep moving. Rika turned around in surprise when she heard an explosion behind her. Her eyes widened as the Infected that Clara had hit began to explode, one by one.

Rika jumped out of the way, watching as tendrils fired in every direction from dozens of different Infected. After a few seconds, tendrils covered the entire street, sticking to lampposts and buildings alike. Rika noticed Clara out of the corner of her eyes and dove towards her. The woman was still attacking Infected as she ran, causing more explosions.

_ If this keeps up, she'll leave a pretty big trail for the other Evolved to follow. I've got to get her away from all this carnage._

Rika sprinted after Clara, holding out her hand and pointing the palm at the female Evolved. She quickly pushed the button, allowing the stored electricity to be fired out of the glove. The beam traveled faster than either she or Clara, and hit the Evolved right in the back.

Clara grunted as she was hit, falling forwards and skidding across the street for a few seconds. She finally came to a stop, but by then, Rika was already right on top of her—literally. Rika planted one foot on the Evolved's back and raised the other before slamming it down on her head. Clara grunted under the pressure, and the street beneath her cracked as Rika slammed her foot down again and again.

"Just pass out already," Rika growled as she brought her foot down again. Rika paused as Clara let out a cough and spat out blood. The Evolved slowly began to rise, which caused Rika to narrow her eyes. She grabbed Clara by the back of the head, lifting the Evolved and placing her other hand over the Evolved's mouth before pushing her back down against the ground.

Rika placed her right hand on the button on her left hand, which held Clara by the face. "You're done," she snarled, pressing the button and watching as the glove lit up.

***Page Break***

Siren violently threw his Whipfist forward, snarling as Grevin danced out of the way as he ran. "Guys," Rika's voice rang out. "Clara's down for now; I've forced her to burn through too much of her biomass and she's unconscious for now."

"Good," Siren replied quickly. "Keep her like that."

"Siren, you better—"

"Can't talk now," Siren interrupted. "Busy. Don't kill her yet." He refocused on the fleeing Evolved in front of him. Grevin was shoving whatever he could in front of Siren, tapping Infected and creating bio-bombs, and doing everything else he could think of to lose Siren.

However, the silver-haired Prototype refused to miss the opportunity to consume another Evolved. Siren leapt over vehicles, used his Shield to slap aside tendrils from the bio-bombs, and did everything he could to keep up with Grevin. In the end, the Evolved's inferior speed was his downfall. When Siren was in range, he aimed his Whipfist at Grevin, watching his movements and calculating where he'd be by the time the Whipfist reached him.

_There!_

Eyes narrowing in concentration, Siren threw the Whipfist forward, watching as the weapon shot at a spot far in front of Grevin. By the time the Evolved reached that particular position, the Whipfist was already there, slamming into his shoulder and digging into him. Siren yanked on the Whipfist, which lifted Grevin from his position and sent him flying through the air toward Siren.

The Evolved shouted as he desperately tried to spin out of the way, but ultimately, the Whipfist stayed put, and Grevin was soon slamming into the ground in front of Siren. The Prototype stepped forward, looming over Grevin as he lifted a fist, activating his Hammerfist power. The Evolved was scrambling to stand, but only got to his knees before he saw Siren.

Grevin gasped as he looked up, realizing what Siren was about to do. The Evolved's Whipfists shot up just in time to block Siren's first downward strike, but the impact still forced him down a bit. Before Grevin could react, Siren slammed his other Hammerfist down, this time, connecting with Grevin's shoulder. The Evolved grunted and sank, one Whipfist planted in the ground for support.

Siren lifted his Hammerfist and brought it down on Grevin's other shoulder, causing Grevin's good arm to go limp as the limb tore and twisted. "No," Grevin snarled. "I will not lose to you!" The last part was choked out, rather than screamed. The Evolved was tiring and becoming weaker, and both he and the Prototype knew it.

Grevin desperately tried to stand, rising to all fours. Siren kicked his hands out from under him, watching as Grevin fell forward with a groan. Stepping back, Siren jumped into the air, raising both fists over his head before plummeting to the ground, slamming both Hammerfists on Grevin's head as the Evolved made another attempt to stand.

Grevin fell to the ground, sprawled out like a spider. Siren stepped closer, reaching out and grabbing Grevin by the head. "Send Craig and Luke my regards," he growled. Drawing back his right arm, he formed his Blade, and before Grevin could react, he plunged the weapon into the Evolved's chest. Lifting his arm into the air, he threw Grevin down on the ground, watching as the Evolved landed on his head.

Before he could slump over, Siren dashed forward, swinging his Blade in a downward arc, cutting right through Grevin. Tentacles shot out of Siren's body, grabbing both halves of Grevin and quickly absorbing him.

As the Evolved was slowly consumed, Siren sank to his knees, feeling the memories and images that flowed through his mind.

***Page Break***

Mikoto cut through one of Laren's blades, dancing away just in time as the Evolved swung his other sword at her. Laren had grown more than a little frustrated with her ability to cut through his attacks, but she knew what he was trying to do.

_He's trying to wear me down. The cutting power of my sword is the only thing that's keeping him from killing me at this point, and he knows it. He'll just try to wait me out. _

Laren leapt away from her, pointing both Blades at her and shouting at some of the Infected to attack. Mikoto narrowed her eyes and used a combination of sword strikes and blasts of lighting to ward off the approaching Infected.

_Sooner or later, I've gotta call for backup. He's got me outnumbered; all he really has to do is play the waiting game. I may have to run to the rooftops to minimize the number of Infected he can call._

Mikoto gritted her teeth and swung her sword, allowing it to extend and cut a clear path to the nearest building. She dashed forward, weaving past what few Infected remained in her path. She could hear Laren grunting in surprise from behind her, but paid him no mind. She broke through the doors of some sort of office building and made her way to the stairs.

Suddenly, she froze, wondering if going up was truly the best choice. "If I stay in here," she muttered to herself. "Laren can't call in Hunters because there's no space and he'd end up bringing the entire building down on us if they destroy the walls. Maybe I can lure him in here…"

Mikoto whirled around to face the doors, watching as the weaker, smaller Infected crawled in. She growled, sending a blast of lighting in their general direction. The Infected were blown away, but one remained—one that was calmly walking towards her.

She immediately recognized Laren as he approached, seemingly unbothered by the Infected that were bouncing off him from Mikoto's blast. He walked through the doors, staring at Mikoto with an annoyed expression. "You can't win this," he began, still calm. "You've lost this fight and you know it. Make this easy for yourself and stop struggling; I'll end it quickly."

Mikoto snorted. "I wouldn't surrender to someone like you. _You're_ the one who has lost, but you're just trying to get me to surrender so that I don't beat you!"

_Come on, take the bait and attack—forget about your armies outside and just attack me yourself…_

Laren narrowed his eyes at her while crossing his arms. "You truly are as they say. Brave, loyal, and," he shook his head. "Utterly _stupid_."

Mikoto felt her own anger rising. "Oh yeah? How so?"

Laren cocked his head and gave her a grin. "Reports have offered a variety of reasons for calling you stupid. But, they failed to mention that you're dangerously optimistic. Tell me honestly, do you really think you can win?"

"I—"

"Oh, and I don't mean just against me. I mean against the Evolved, the_ Infected_. Do you honestly believe that you can truly destroy us? Since Mercer has already consumed Luke, I'd assume he's aware of what we have." Laren raised his hand before his face and made a fist, his grin widening. "We could _crush all of you_. This battle—your fight against the Infected—it's hopeless in the long run. Right now, it may seem as though you have a chance, but at the end of the day, we'll outlast you. We evolve, we change, we adapt. Whether it takes one battle or a thousand, we'll run humanity off the face of the earth. You're fighting a losing battle, and every second you spend struggling only brings _you_ more pain, not us."

He stepped back, spreading his arms. "So do yourself a favor and submit. It'll be quick, easy, and painless."

Mikoto's fists clenched as she watched Laren. "Do you really expect me to believe that nonsense? Do you really think that I'd roll over and die without a fight? No…not for you, not for anyone. Giving up when there's still a way to win is for the weak," Mikoto spat. She leaned back, holding out her sword while beckoning with her free hand. "And you know what else? The strong don't turn civilians into zombies to add to their armies. The strong don't do this to people. The strong work _with_ their friends to cover their weaknesses, but the weakare the ones who need to use people like shields. You know what you are?" she snarled.

Mikoto lunged forward. "You're weak!"

***Page Break***

** His vision was filled by a dull brown sidewalk as Grevin slowly rose, coughing and gasping. The man's head slowly came up, taking in the view of the burning vehicles, the corpses littered all over the street, and the lone, hooded figure that stood atop a burning tank, slowly looking around. **

"**Oh shit…Alex Mercer," Grevin breathed while crawling away. He eventually made it behind a car, slowly peeking around to watch as Alex Mercer threw cars, corpses, and other obstacles out of his way.**

** Suddenly, a large helicopter flew over before turning around to face Alex Mercer. Grevin's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. "No!" he shouted, waving his arms to get their attention. "Don't shoot! You'll just kill me!"**

_**They have to understand by now that missiles don't kill Alex Mercer!**_

__**He'd never find out if the men in the helicopter heard him. Alex Mercer stepped back, a Whipfist forming on his arm before he swung it around, the bladed tip embedding itself in the helicopter. The pilot tried to guide the machine away, but Alex Mercer was too strong. He threw the helicopter into a nearby building, and Grevin watched as the helicopter exploded, sending bits of burning debris in various directions.**

** Looking over, he gasped as he saw Alex Mercer walking over to him. **

_**Shit, I can't outrun him!**_

__**He breathing quickened and his palms grew sweaty.**

_**I'm done for.**_

__**Grevin closed his eyes, holding his breath as he waited for death. Nothing came. After several seconds, he opened his eyes, just in time to watch Alex Mercer pass by just a few feet away without so much as a second glance.**

** The scene changed to show a smirking man that stared at Grevin, who was in a very poor condition. There was a puddle of blood at Grevin's feet, and the hand that held his knife was trembling. The man that stood before Grevin strode forward without a care in the world, completely ignoring the knife. Grevin let out a roar as he charged, raising the knife in preparation for an attack.**

** However, his attack was met with no resistance, and he plunged the knife into the other man's neck, but without any results. Suddenly, pain exploded in his stomach, and he looked down, only to find the hand of the man he stabbed deep in his stomach, red tendrils curling around him. **

** The scene changed again, revealing a TV that showed a video of Alex Mercer standing on a rooftop, looking around before focusing on the camera. The pair of icy blue eyes narrowed before Alex jumped from the rooftop and out of sight. Grevin looked down at a picture he was holding in his hand.**

** A picture of a certain silver-haired Prototype.**

** "And you're telling me that this…**_**child**_** is what's left of Alex Mercer? Do you actually expect me to believe that?"**

** "If you don't believe it, that's your problem," said a brown-haired Evolved. "I'm not here to explain everything—you think the boys upstairs tell me all the juicy stuff?"**

** "No, but—"**

** "Look, pal," began the Evolved. "I'm not going to pretend like I understand this. I'm just delivering information to you. I've read those files, and I've seen all of the most recent footage of Alex Mercer. That kid," he said, gesturing to the picture. "Is supposed to be what's left of the guy—I don't know how he got in that state, but there he is. You wanna put Humpty Dumpty back together again? Start with this brat."**

** The scene ended, fading in a flash of white light.**

Siren's eyes snapped open, and he found himself kneeling on the street, eyes staring at the road. I single thought ran through his head.

_I'm…what's left?_

**Explanations/Clarifications **

** What's Left: "Whaaaat? I thought you said Siren was a reincarnation of Alex Mercer!" I also said Siren may be wrong in his assumptions. On a serious note, just bear with me guys, Siren will find the truth eventually (and since we're nearing the final parts of the story, 'eventually' should come soon). **


	40. Chapter 40

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**MILDLY IMPORTANT NOTICE: This chapter is significantly shorter (it's about 3,600 words, whereas normal chapters are five thousand words). I'm doing this so that I can update a little more frequently, and to make proofreading easier and quicker. I may do this for future chapters as well, so be aware. **

**GUEST: 1) I can't reveal anything about the ending, so you'll have to wait. 2) I know they're supernatural. 3) I never said that the viruses weren't man-made. I know BLACKLIGHT and all its variants/cousins aren't found in nature, but they're still biological ('biological' and 'naturally occurring' aren't the same thing). They're still supernatural in the sense that you won't see them in real life, but they're not the same as esper powers and magic. **

**OTHER GUEST (or possibly the same guest): I didn't forget. I checked it out. **

**GUEST 2: Thanks for the name change; it really helps lift some confusion. Anyway, I don't plan on giving Siren "the Hunt" (Heller's vision) because it's a bit overpowered and makes absolutely no sense. I didn't really plan on giving him armor at this point, but that may change (it's unlikely though). I don't plan on bringing in any new major characters (save for the 'final boss' guy). Lastly, I know about the bones you see sticking out of Mercer's arms at the end of Prototype 2, but since this story disregards almost everything from that game, I made Prototypes boneless because it would make a little more sense—Alex's movements from [Prototype] were outrageous and required flexibility and durability that bones lack. It also makes the Prototypes feel more like walking viruses, and not people infected by the virus. **

**MYTHFAN: Thank you.**

**Chapter 40**

**Unexpected Reaction**

Ares slapped away another set of tendrils with his Shields, frowning as the Leader Hydra did the same to one of his Hunters. So far, he had been unsuccessful in killing the Leader Hydra, but he could tell that he was wearing it down. Its attacks had become slower and sloppier—it had been a while since it had actually hit him.

He crouched atop an overturned car, watching as Infected of all sizes and types assaulted the Leader Hydra. The gargantuan beast continued fighting, even though its body was covered in wounds of all sorts. The desperation that it had displayed earlier on was still present, but its weakening body prevented the Leader Hydra from truly facing him now.

In fact, the only thing preventing Ares from leaving was Ares himself.

_I guess I'd better go back to fighting it. If I consume it, that's only an added bonus. _

***Page Break***

Mikoto used her sword to slap away another of Laren's attacks, glaring at the Evolved as he stumbled back, his body rapidly working to repair the damage her sword had been doing. Laren hadn't called in any Infected, most likely because of the lack of space for them.

Mikoto lunged forward, pointing the sword at Laren's stomach, The Evolved was forced to dodge, and because he was still repairing his arms from Mikoto's earlier attacks, he wasn't able to counterattack. The electric esper whirled around, firing a blast of electricity at the weakened Evolved, hitting him in the chest before he could dodge. The impact forced him to backpedal to avoid falling over, and Mikoto seized the opportunity by rushing forward again.

This time, however, Laren's right arm had healed enough for him to actually use it, so the Evolved lifted it up, blocking Mikoto's attack. He lashed out with his foot, hitting Mikoto in the stomach, but not with enough power to do any serious damage.

_Crap, I'm off balance and that damned sword won't let me get close._

Mikoto scrambled to her feet, firing electricity at Laren in an attempt to keep him moving. She herded him away from the doors and windows, denying him the opportunity of escaping.

"Siren here; I've consumed Grevin. Anybody in need of immediate assistance?" asked Siren over the earpieces. Mikoto's eyes widened as Siren informed them of his victory over Grevin. Mikoto wasted no time in reaching up to her own earpiece.

"I could use some help," she said quickly.

"Where are you?" asked Siren. Before Mikoto could respond, someone else did.

"I'll guide you to her," said Mikoro. "I've got the building she's fighting in well within my field of view. Hold tight, Mikoto."

Mikoto would have thanked her, but the furious Evolved that was currently trying to consume her presented a bit of a problem. So, she continued her fight, dodging, blasting, swinging, and slashing. She knew full well that her sword was essentially the only thing standing between her and an early death. Laren had her outclassed in every way when it came to physical strength, speed, and durability.

_I've gotta make sure I don't lose the sword. If I do, he'll kill me…_

She kept attacking Laren in any way she could, trying to stall until Siren could arrive and finish the job. Until then, she could wear Laren down, knock him around, and do whatever she wanted as long as she didn't kill him. As much as she hated the Evolved, killing them before Siren could consume them would mean that Ares would remain the strongest thing in the city.

Laren roared as he charged her, lifting both Blades over his head and lunging forward. Mikoto dove out of the way, watching as Laren's Blades dug into the floor. The weapons didn't budge when he tried moving, and Mikoto realized he was stuck. Sprinting forward, she got right behind him, pulled her sword back, and rammed in through him.

The sword went in through his back and burst through his chest, cutting through the viral being with ease. Laren coughed, but Mikoto stood still, allowing the chainsaw-like weapon to do its work. Laren grunted as he forced himself off the weapon, much to Mikoto's surprise. He planted his Blades in the floor and kicked out with his legs, forcing Mikoto to scramble backwards to avoid being hit. Weakened or not, if he was in a good position to kick her, he'd still break her bones.

Without her sword to keep him down, Laren quickly scrambled to his feet while Mikoto regained her balance. With a snarl, Laren whirled around, reaching out with his leg and kicking a chair at Mikoto. She barely managed to dodge, but it had distracted her.

Laren attempted to use the opportunity to counterattack by sprinting forwards, raising both Blades over his head in preparation for a downward strike. Mikoto reacted quickly, firing another blast of electricity at the Evolved. It didn't hit, but it forced him to dodge, which gave her the second she needed to stand.

The Evolved attacked again, twirling in the air and holding out his Blade as he spun. Mikoto was forced to jump out of the way to the best of her abilities, but ended up landing awkwardly. Off balance, she failed to notice Laren's foot quickly closing the distance between them until it was almost too late. She barely managed to avoid having her head knocked off by the kick of an Evolved, but it was enough; she was still alive.

Without her head to offer resistance, Laren's kick carried him forward too far, and he ended up slamming his foot into the wall with enough force to shatter it. Mikoto winced when she thought about what would have happened if that kick had connected with her face.

"Mikoto," said the voice of Siren. "I'm almost there. Hold Laren off for a few more seconds and then I'll be there to help you."

Mikoto let out a sigh of relief upon hearing those words—it was almost over. Laren had dislodged himself from the wall, and was turning to face her, his face clearly portraying his frustration. Mikoto bent her knees, preparing to defend herself.

She didn't have to wait long; Laren dashed forward, swinging his Blades with newfound strength—probably because of his growing fury and frustration. However, the added anger made his attacks sloppier and slightly easier to avoid.

_But they're harder to block now since he's putting more power behind them…_

Unfortunately, her foot caught on something, and Mikoto was forced to block anyway, watching as Laren's Blades connected with her sword. He completely ignored the pain and tried to push through, and since his Blades were hardened, Mikoto's sword wasn't cutting through them as fast.

_Oh no…_

The Evolved was slowly forcing Mikoto's own sword down, directly toward her face.

_If this keeps up, the sword will cut through me before it does through him! I've got to do something!_

Mikoto let lighting build up around her, and with a howl, blasted it from her fingertips. Since she was still holding the sword, the blast was awkward and poorly aimed, but it did enough; the electricity connected with Laren's shoulder, pushing him back just enough for Mikoto to remove her sword from his Blades. With a grunt, she shoved the weapon into his neck, squinting as blood from the Evolved hit her in the face.

Laren gave a wet cough before stepping back, forcibly pulling himself off her sword. Before either could react, something slammed into Laren, sending him bouncing across the floor into a nearby wall. Mikoto looked over to find Siren standing in front of her in a predatory pose with his Claws fanned out.

Mikoto huffed in annoyance. "It's about time," she muttered.

***Page Break***

Aleister watched the fight between Ares and the Leader Hydra with worms of doubt eating at his mind.

_There is nothing stopping Ares from leaving, yet he continues to fight the Leader Hydra...He must have realized by now that his Evolved are being attacked by now, so why isn't he helping them?_

Something was wrong. Ares' behavior wasn't what it should have been.

_Strange behavior or not, the 'Leader Hydra' is at its limit…I'll have to have it withdrawn soon._

***Page Break***

Ares kicked a car in the general direction of the Leader Hydra, watching as the vehicle crashed against the creature's side. The vehicle bounced off, but the damage had been done, and the Leader Hydra bent over in pain.

Ares watched the creature as he jogged towards it, making note of its slow, sluggish movements and scarred body. He frowned slightly as the beast attempted to swat away a Hunter, but failed, allowing the hulking creature to latch onto its weakening body and begin clawing away.

The Prototype's jog to the Leader Hydra was intentionally lazy and slow—he was trying to waste time.

_Of course, the one time I need something to go 'wrong', and this thing decides to keel over and die before it can finish its job. _

He shook his head in annoyance.

_Oh well. I guess I'll just kill this thing now and hope Mercer consumed as many of the Evolved as he could. _

With his Hammerfist power activating, Ares lifted both hands above his head, and with a grunt, brought them back down on the ground. Tendrils shot from his fists, traveling through the ground and emerging as large spikes, piercing through anything that got in their path. Several Hunters were ripped apart by the attack, and the Leader Hydra itself suffered massive damage as its lower half was impaled by dozens of the deadly hardened and sharpened tendrils.

Ares retracted the spikes slowly, allowing the jagged edges to cut into the flesh of the Leader Hydra, which caused the creature to double over in pain. When the tendrils had returned to his fists, Ares sprinted forward, allowing his Hammerfists to fade in a swirl of tendrils.

Rushing up to the Leader Hydra, Ares jumped in front of it. Time seemed to slow as he crossed his arms and tucked in his legs, tentacles writhing around his body. A wordless roar tore its way past his lips as he spread his limbs, allowing dozens of massive tentacles to fire from his body in every direction.

The Devastator attack brought mayhem with it, destroying everything within its range. All accept the Leader Hydra. As the tentacles retracted, Ares found himself watching the dying creature with a hint of amusement at its resilience. The Hunters that had been attacking it were now lying on the ground in crumpled heaps, and the lesser Infected had been torn apart completely.

The Leader Hydra itself was now full of holes and bleeding profusely from nearly every portion of its body. How it hadn't bled to death was beyond Ares. Still, it was weakened, and that was enough for him. He dropped to the ground and began approaching the Leader Hydra, preparing to consume it. However, as he moved closer, the creature gave one last desperate roar and tried to rise.

_Oh, well that's nice. Come on big guy, keep it up just a little bit longer for the cameras…_

However, the creature didn't attack him. Instead, it began slithering towards the hole that it had come out of when it had first arrived. Ares blinked when he realized the creature was retreating. He jumped after it, spreading his limbs in the air and gliding towards it. It made no attempt to stop him, and dove into what it must have assumed to be its ticket out alive.

Ares began to follow it, but paused when a thought crossed his mind.

_This could be another trap. I don't know if running after it is a good idea—it could lead me directly into something that I'll regret. Besides, Mercer's probably got someone watching me through the cameras. If I go in there, they may assume I've got some sort of backup plan in motion since I'm not trying to save the Evolved. They may end up retreating and leaving the Evolved…_

_ I can't have that._

Ares leapt away from the hole and sprinted up the side of the tallest nearby building. He eventually reached the top and flipped over, landing on the building's roof. Looking out over the city, he squinted as he tried to spot any signs of a battle. He frowned when he noticed a street that looked to be covered almost entirely by tendrils.

_Looks like someone's been bio-bombing._

He looked around some more, and quickly came to the conclusion that the tendril-covered street was his best bet at finding any of the Evolved.

_Better avoid that area._

***Page Break***

A swipe from Siren's Claws took off Laren's right arm while Mikoto's sword chopped off his left. The Evolved stumbled back, coughing in surprise. His two opponents dashed forward, raising their weapons high.

Siren brought down his Claws at almost the exact same time as Mikoto brought down her sword. The combined strike cut through Laren like he was made of butter, forcing him to his knees as his body practically fell apart. Still, he forced himself to his feet and grunted as he rolled out of the way of Siren's kick.

"For fuck's sake," Siren growled. "Why won't you die?!"

"He's stronger than the other Evolved," Mikoto commented as the two dashed at Laren. "And he seems to be the most loyal to Ares; that's a dangerous combination."

Laren focused all his healing abilities into his right arm, quickly forming one of his two Blades. He dodged Mikoto's attack and barely managed to slap away one of Siren's Claws, causing the young Prototype to groan in annoyance.

Laren dashed between them, making a break for the exit even as his body repaired itself. Mikoto acted quickly, aiming her palm at Laren's back. She fired a beam of electricity, which hit its target with deadly accuracy, knocking him to the floor in front of the door.

Siren dashed past Mikoto with a nod, jumping into the air and fanning out his Claws as he pounced at Laren. The Evolved rolled on his back and stuck out his legs, catching Siren as he landed on him. Siren began swiping at Luke's head, but the Evolved desperately struggled against him.

The two shape shifters grappled on the floor, rolling across the room until Laren was on top—but not of his own accord. "Mikoto!" Siren howled. "Shoot him now!" Laren's head snapped up and he looked at Mikoto in confusion. His eyes widened when he saw her balancing a coin on her finger as she aimed it at him.

The Evolved panicked and tried to move, but Siren grabbed his arms, holding him down with a smirk. "It's over," he told him. "You're done for." Laren snarled at Siren before looking back to Mikoto.

"You haven't won!" he howled. "There'll be more! This is only the beginning of a long, painful war! A war that you'll—" His words were cut off as Mikoto fired her Railgun, watching as the coin blasted through Laren's chest. The Evolved's eyes rolled back and his mouth opened, a trail of blood and spit spilling out as he was launched across the room.

Siren let go of the viral being, watching as he was flung to against the far wall. Laren landed with a groan before falling to the ground in a crumpled heap. "Siren!" Mikoto shouted. "Consume him before he gets up!"

Neither Siren nor Mikoto was sure if Laren would actually get up, but neither wanted to take the chance. Siren dashed forward, tentacles writhing around his arms as they returned to normal. Laren still hadn't moved by the time Siren reached him, but when Siren picked him up, the Evolved's head turned slightly until he was facing Siren.

Siren offered him a smirk. "Should have surrendered. Would have been a _lot_ less painful," Siren mocked.

Laren's eyes narrowed, even though it took great effort. "Fuck you," he spat. Siren turned around, hoisting Laren over his head before slamming him into the floor. The Evolved's neck snapped loudly, and tentacles shot from Siren's body, latching on to Laren and dragging him towards Siren. The Prototype sank to his knees as he absorbed Laren's body, and Mikoto looked on nervously.

***Page Break***

** The image displayed a desk full of documents and a shadow covering them, indicating that someone was leaning over the desk. "I can't believe this," growled Laren. "That…that **_**brat**_** is supposed to be what's left of Mercer?"**

** "He is," said the cold voice of Ares. "When we find him, we'll be able to restore his memories and abilities—he'll be whole once more. Then, **_**then**_** we'll have everything we need to start."**

** "And you're sure this bomb of yours will work?" asked Laren. "I mean—"**

** "It'll work," Ares interrupted. "We've got Evolved working day and night to repurpose and stabilize it. But until they finish, nobody touches it. And until Mercer's either joined us or we have his DNA, the big man doesn't want the bomb to be used."**

** Laren hesitated. "About this…big man; can you tell me who he is?"**

** "No," Ares answered immediately. "It's too risky."**

** "But isn't he supposed to be more powerful than you?" Laren asked. "Surely he can defend himself…"**

** "He's capable, but he wants to remain hidden for now. He's just being careful; when everything is in place, he'll reveal himself not only to you, but to the entire world."**

_**I wonder if being more powerful than the other Evolved is worth not knowing who I'm working for. The weaker ones get to stay in the city where they see the strongest of our kind on a daily basis. Yet here I am, out in the middle of nowhere, tracking down some punk.**_

__**"By the way, did you manage to locate Siren Mercer?" asked Ares. Laren sighed and ran a hand through his hair before answering.**

** "I looked through my sources, and I saw him on camera several times within the same area—it seems as though he's settling down for now."**

** Ares grinned. "Excellent. Where is he now?"**

** "Academy City. Do—"**

** "Ah," Ares interrupted once more. "So he's gone **_**there**_**. That makes sense; he's surrounded by others who have powers. It makes it easier for him to blend in. Very well, get Craig on the phone."**

** "Craig, sir? Why him?" Laren asked. **

** "Once Mercer consumes him, he'll know a little more about what's going on. He'll know a little more about his connection with Alex Mercer," Ares answered. **

** Laren blinked in confusion. "But…Craig doesn't know anything about that, does he?"**

** Ares shook his head. "No, of course not. I wouldn't trust him with that kind of information. No, we'll just have him say a few choice words, and then, after Mercer's consumed him—because he **_**will **_**end up consuming him—and sees his memories, he'll know that there is someone out there who has answers. It may make it easier to convince him to join us."**

_**I'm not entirely sure about that**_**.**

** "Alright, as you say, sir," Laren replied slowly.**

** The scene faded in a flash of white light.**

His eyes snapped open to the sound of Mikoto shouting his name. "Siren? Siren! Finally, you're up! We'll what'd you see?!"

Siren slowly sat up, bringing a hand to his head. "Nothing too useful," he said. "If we're going to get any real answers to all this…"

He rose to his feet.

"We're going to need to bring Ares down."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Nothing to see here.**


	41. Chapter 41

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Slowly, but surely, we're approaching the conclusion to this story…**

**GUEST: Oh, that's what you wanted. I was under the impression you wanted it to be one of those 'girl mysteriously falls for Touma' type situations. Anyway, this chapter sorta eliminates the possibility, but your idea was an interesting one to hear.**

**Chapter 41 **

**Meet Your Maker**

Rika yawned as she leaned back in her chair. She had dragged Clara into a building to avoid detection, and was now waiting for the others. Siren had called and said that they finished up with Grevin and Laren, which left only Ares and an unconscious Clara. Things were finally coming to an end. Clara was still unconscious, and—

"We have a situation," said Aleister over the earpieces. "The Leader Hydra retreated—Ares and his Infected defeated it."

Rika was on her feet immediately, eyes widening in panic. "Is he coming here?" she asked frantically.

"That's just it. Ares doesn't seem all that interested in saving the Evolved. He…He's not coming for them," Aleister replied. Rika stood in shocked silence, trying to process what she had just heard.

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Siren from his end of the line. "Ares is just abandoning them?"

"I…I am unsure. He had every opportunity to escape when he wounded the Leader Hydra, but he stayed there, sometimes just watching it. It doesn't seem as though he's trying to save the Evolved at all. Right now, he's looking around, but he seems to have pointedly avoided the area with all the tendrils covering the street. If I'm not mistaken…"

"That's where Clara and I were," Rika finished. "You mean to tell me he saw that area, and he—"

"Avoided it, yes. Something's not right here," Aleister began. "Siren, hurry and consume Clara. After that, the three of you must finish the job, and hunt down Ares."

"Mikoto and I are moving as fast as we can," Siren responded. "Can you contact the hospital and find out how Kuroko's doing?"

"She is alive," Aleister answered. "But she needs to rest—she's been put to sleep for now, so you're on your own. I'll provide support where I can, as will Mikoro, I'm sure, but you'll have to move by yourself."

"Shit," spat Rika. "With Kuroko gone, we've lost a major advantage."

"That we have," Siren confirmed. "But I've consumed three of the four Evolved, which makes me stronger, all while weakening Ares' forces. We've leveled the playing field a lot since this has all started. Just keep Clara down and we'll be there soon."

"Just hurry up," Rika replied. She sat back down with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.

_I hope Kuroko is ok…_

She sat like that for a few more moments, keeping an eye on Clara. She blinked when she noticed that the woman's breathing had changed slightly. It was slightly faster. Eyes narrowing, Rika observed the woman. Clara's shoulders looked a little tenser as well.

Rika slowly stood up, quietly making her way over to Clara. The woman didn't move at all as Rika approached, nor did she budge when Rika knelt beside her. She frowned.

_I'm not risking it._

Rika stood up and kicked Clara, sending her flying across the room into the far wall. Still, the Evolved made no move to retaliate or showed any signs of being awake. Rika sighed before walking over and taking one last look at Clara.

The woman's eyes opened.

_Shit!_

Rika raised an arm to block a ferocious kick to the head from Clara. The woman planted her hands on the wall and used them to spring off, catapulting herself through the air and away from Rika. "Shit, shit, shit!" Rika swore as she moved to stop the woman. However, before she could reach her, Clara jumped into a window, shattering the glass with ease.

"Got a problem here!" Rika roared into her earpiece before jumping out the window. "Clara's running!"

It took less than a second for a reply to reach her. "Rika, you had _one job_!" Siren shouted. Rika clenched her fists in anger. "Fuck you!" she screamed. "Just get over here and help me out!"

The earpiece went quiet as Siren shut her out to listen to Mikoro's directions. Meanwhile, Rika was sprinting across the street, desperately trying to catch up to Clara. The woman shot a glance over her shoulder before she began sprinting up along a wall of a building. Rika jumped after her with a grunt, eyes narrowing in concentration as she tried to focus on Clara.

"Mikoto, I need lightning," she said into her earpiece. A second later, blue electricity surged through her gloves, and Rika pointed her right hand at Clara. She watched the woman's movements for a second before firing somewhere in front of her. The blast missed, but it forced Clara to stop to avoid being hit by it.

The Evolved realized what was happening because she began zigzagging as she ran. Rika found it nearly impossible to hit her, so she dove towards the rooftops. Once her feet hit a rooftop, she began running, rather than jumping.

With Clara zigzagging as she ran, Rika found herself slowly catching up to the woman since she was no longer running in a straight line. Unfortunately, Clara checked over her shoulder, and her eyes widened when she saw how close Rika had gotten.

Clara suddenly stopped and dove to her left, right over the edge of the rooftop. Rika paused in confusion before shaking her head and jumping after the woman. The two plummeted to the ground, and the moment they landed, Clara began sprinting towards an intersection. Rika followed, shoving aside various Infected that got in her way.

Finally, the two reached the intersection, and Clara turned to the left before freezing in place. Rika was about to tackle her, but her eyes widened when she saw what had Clara frozen.

There, in the middle of the street, stood a surprised looking Ares as he stared at them.

_No…He wasn't even looking for them! Did we run into him by complete chance?! You've got to be kidding me!_

Clara broke out into a wide grin before turning to Rika. "You're fucked now," she taunted. Rika took a step back, eyes narrowing.

_I can't lose Clara now, but I can't fight Ares…_

Ares glanced between Clara and Rika, his face returning to a neutral expression. The dark-haired girl bent her knees, preparing to either run or fight—it depended on what Ares did.

_Aleister said he wasn't trying to save the Evolved, so what'll Ares do now?_

"Clara," called the Prototype. "Where are the others?"

Clara hesitated. "I…don't know. I've been unconscious, but I don't know for how long. My earpiece is gone, so I haven't heard from Grevin or Laren."

Ares narrowed his eyes. "I see. Then the situation is worse than I had anticipated."

_Is he just acting to get Clara to think that he was actually worried?_

"Clara," Rika began. "We've had people watching this fight through the cameras. Ares here wasn't trying to help you. He didn't bother coming to you when you needed it." Clara blinked in confusion, and Rika noticed Ares frown.

"Is this an attempt at a joke?" asked Ares. "Because I don't find it all that funny."

Clara snorted. "Nice try, kid, but I don't fall for such stupid tricks." Clara bent her knees in preparation for battle. "Let's get this over with!"

"Wait!" barked Ares. "Let me handle her," he commanded, causing Clara to frown before backing off. Ares stepped forward, Claws forming on his hands. Rika gulped, thinking of a way to escape past Ares.

Suddenly, Ares jumped away from her, eyes widening as a blue blur shot past where he was. Rika almost instantly recognized Mikoto's Railgun, and before anyone could move any further, Siren was behind Clara, his Blade raised high in the air as he prepared to strike. Clara must have seen Siren's shadow because she dodged out of the way just in time, looking over her shoulder at the spot where Siren's Blade had buried itself in the street.

Clara and Ares both landed on their feet at the same time. Rika noticed Mikoto casually walking down the street to them, a black sword in her hand. "Rika," Siren called. "You alright?"

"Fine," she responded. Siren gave her a slight nod before stepping towards Ares and Clara. He locked eyes with Ares, and the two shared a death glare. Mikoto had reached them by now, and it was obvious she was ready to fight as well.

"Ares!" shouted Siren. "Enjoy your last minutes alive while you can! This ends here!"

_He's putting on an act. He knows Ares is still stronger than him. We're going to have to work together to bring him down. _

"Clara," Ares began. "I've got a plan. Follow my lead, you got it? No questions, no complaints." Clara looked at him before nodding dumbly. Suddenly, Ares turned around and began running.

Clara gawked in surprise before she came to her senses—a moment before the others—and sprinted after Ares. "What the?!" Siren yelled. "Get back here!"

He reached out and grabbed Mikoto, slinging her across his back and began chasing after Ares and Clara. Rika took off as well, close behind Siren. Mikoto was forced to hold her sword away from Siren in an awkward manner to avoid cutting him to pieces while they ran.

"Aleister, Mikoro!" Siren roared. "Keep an eye on the surrounding streets and tell us if they've got an ambush or something set up!" Whatever reply he got must have been directed only to him because Rika didn't hear it.

The three chased after the retreating forms of Ares and Clara, wondering what Ares could have had planned. "Do any of the Evolveds' memories tell you about a backup plan or something?!" Rika shouted.

"No!" came the loud reply from Siren. The sound of their voices was drowned out by rushing air and the roars of the Infected, so they were forced to shout to make themselves heard. Rika cursed under her breath, wondering what Ares could have been planning.

"Guys," Mikoro began, worry evident in her voice. "I'm watching a bunch of those elite Infected climbing up a skyscraper. They're gathering there and…"

"We're headed right for it, aren't we?" Rika asked.

"Ares seems to be leading you there. I don't know what he may have planned, but it seems as though he's intent on ending this here," Mikoro replied.

"Aleister!" Siren shouted over the earpiece. "Any suggestions?!"

There was a moment of delay before Aleister answered. "If he's given the opportunity, Ares might just call for backup. This will only get worse unless Ares is stopped here. Track him down, and finish him. What power you have will have to be enough. Work together, guard each other's backs, and end this."

Rika gulped. This was it. They were going to face off against Ares whether they liked it or not. "Well guys," she began, allowing her voice to carry over the earpieces. "It's been an…adventure. Let's do this."

She wasn't met with any verbal response. Rather, Siren and Mikoto both glanced at her and gave her an acknowledging nod. The three of them then noticed the large building that Ares and Clara were heading to. Rika could make out Flyers circling around the top of the building and Hunters scrambling up the walls.

Ares and Clara reached the side of the building and both began sprinting up the wall with Siren, Mikoto, and Rika hot on their tail. Rika squinted slightly as dust and small pieces of debris fell past her face from the footsteps of her targets.

It wasn't long before they finally reached the top. Ares and Clara flipped over the edge, both running to the other side of the rooftop while Siren, Rika, and Mikoto stopped when their feet hit the roof. Rika glanced around, taking note of the sizable group of elite Infected that had gathered atop the roof with along with them.

_These elite guys can shape shift too. Crap, this does __**not**__ look good for us. We can't hold off all these guys at once…we're done for._

Clara glanced at Ares in confusion as they faced Siren, Rika, and Mikoto. "Sir, what exactly are we doing up here?" she asked. Ares craned his neck as he glared at the group before him.

"We're eliminating pests," he growled. "This has gone on long enough." He took a step forward and focusing on Rika and Mikoto. "You two," he snapped. "This is between us," he gestured to the rest of his Infected. "And _him_," he finished, pointing a finger at Siren before turning back to the girls. "Get lost, and I won't hunt you down."

Mikoto snorted. "You'll just try to take over the world anyway. If we run, the Infected will come for us eventually. Besides, we trust you about as far as we could throw you."

Ares shook his head. "Fine. Chose the painful way out for all I care. But know that you're dying for a liar," he continued, glaring at Siren. "For a traitor."

A look of confusion crossed Siren's face. "What are you talking about?"

Ares chuckled before turning to Rika. "Have you never wondered why Siren here sounds so much like Alex Mercer? Why he fights like Mercer, and to an extent, _acts_ like him?"

Rika narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to listen to your mind games," she spat. "I—"

"He killed you father," Ares interrupted. "He murdered him in cold blood and washed away the memories. Don't let the young appearance fool you; _that_," he pointed to Siren. "Is what's left of Alex Mercer."

Rika slowly turned to Siren. "Siren," she began. "What's he talking about?"

"Don't listen to him," Siren replied. "He's trying to—"

"To what?" Ares asked. "Deceive her? Trick her into fighting for me like you did? You've consumed Luke, Grevin, and Laren—you _know_ what they've seen. Everything about you—about Siren Mercer—is a lie. You've been lying to yourself, desperately trying to suppress what you are. Even that body of yours used to belong to some random, unsuspecting young man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Rika watched as Siren blinked, his face portraying his surprise and his…unease. Rika noticed that even Clara looked a bit surprised at what Ares had been saying. "All of this," Ares continued, gesturing to Siren. "Was your attempt at trying to start over. It was your attempt at forgetting who you were."

Ares stepped forward and tapped the side of his head. "Have you been having little memories popping up every now and then? Flashbacks from the life of Alex Mercer? Not the scientist, but the monster that was born from his remains?"

This time, plain shock was written on Siren's face. "How did—?"

"Oh _please_," Ares growled. "You dumped the rest of your memories into me, and I've got missing portions. If I don't have them, where else would they be? In you!"

If they were confused before, everyone was confused now, all except Ares. "Sir, what are you talking about?" Clara asked in confusion. "I thought—"

Ares was already shaking his head. "Do yourself a favor—don't think. You're not cut out for that kind of work." Clara's face morphed into one of anger as she shot a glare at Ares. "You haven't seen the big picture, Clara. Heck, not even our 'benevolent leader' has."

Rika's eyes widened.

_The way he said that…oh shit…he's not the loyal soldier we assumed he was, is he?_

"Allow me explain to you what kind of a coward you've been helping," Ares snapped as he looked at Mikoto and Rika. "Ladies, allow me to introduce you to," he made a sweeping motion with his hand towards Siren. "Alex Mercer. He may be missing the vast majority of his memories, and he can't assume his original form anymore, but there he is, in the flesh."

Rika stared at Ares before her gaze shifted to Siren. The silver-haired Prototype looked nervous and confused, and he refused to meet her gaze. Rika felt her fists clench.

_Was he—?All this time…has he been lying to me? Did he know about this?!_

"Siren," she growled. "Is he telling the truth? Are you Alex Mercer?"

Siren hesitated. "I don't know. There's a connection, but I don't know. And we have no assurance that he's telling the truth." Rika glanced from him to Ares, then to Clara. The woman looked as confused as them, if not more.

"Such a fool," Ares chided as he stepped forward. "To think that I once listened to you, that I once took _orders_ from you. Such a waste." A grin spread across Ares' face. "Once we were one, and during that time, you ruled. Now…now _I_ will be the one in control. Once I've consumed you, I'll have everything I need, and you'll be nothing more than a bad memory."

"Ares, what the _fuck_?" Clara hissed. "We're supposed to be bringing him back, not—ARG!" Clara was cut off as tendrils shot from Ares' arms, latching onto her and to the group of elite Infected around them. Hunters weren't excluded from the list as tendrils attached themselves to the hulking beasts as well. Siren, Rika, and Mikoto watched as tentacles shot from Clara's back and attached themselves to Ares. Tentacles shot from the other Infected as well, latching onto Ares.

Before their eyes, biomass began transferring to Ares as his victims slowly began to unwind in masses of tentacles as they shrieked in agony. Rika took a step back as Ares grew in size, his height increasing by a tremendous amount. His body began changing in form as well, biomass climbing all over him as it changed his appearance.

A sheet of the fleshy black and red substance slowly pulled over his head to form a hood before it began forming a familiar black jacket.

_No…_

Ares let out an inhumane shriek from the sheer amount of biomass that was being funneled into him. His head jerked back before jerking forward and he opened his eyes, revealing two glowing red orbs that burned with animosity.

"What the fuck?" Rika whispered. As the remains of Clara and the Infected were consumed by Ares, he stepped forward, clad in his new black jacket and familiar grey hoodie. "A-Alex Mercer?" she breathed.

Red, glowing tentacles bulged from Ares shoulders, running down the length of his arms. His fingers were now sharp, bladed mini-Claws, making it seem as though he had activated Clara's unique Musclemass power.

"MERCER!" roared Ares—Alex—_whoever _he was. "This is what happens when the creator neglects his creation! The creation grows, it evolves, it _replaces_ its creator! You gave me life, and now I take yours, for it's the nature of monsters to murder their makers!"

Ares dashed forward.

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** Siren Mercer or Alex Mercer: Stay with me guys, it'll make sense soon…**

** Ares' Plan: Just reassuring you all that it'll be explained soon.**

** Ares' Appearance: To make it easy on everyone, just imagine Alex Mercer from the end of Prototype 2. **


	42. Chapter 42

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**APOCALYPTIC WANDERER: At this point in time, there is no planned sequel. **

**So yeah, Ares just took on Villain Mercer's role from Prototype 2. How fun is that?**

**Chapter 42**

**Murder Your Maker (Part 1)**

Ares dashed forward, activating his Hammerfist power. Siren barely followed the movement, but still raised his arms to block the attack. However, Ares paused in front of Siren and suddenly dashed to the left, straight towards Rika. Neither Siren nor the dark-haired girl had time to react as Ares punched her with his Hammerfist, sending her bouncing across the rooftop and off the edge of the building.

_Shit, he's fast!_

Siren put himself between Mikoto and Ares, knowing that a single hit from Ares would be enough to rip the girl in half. Ares turned to them, but instead of dashing at them with his newfound super speed, he sprinted at Siren, moving only slightly faster than he did prior to his consumption of the Infected and Clara.

Siren activated his own Hammerfist power and stepped forward to meet Ares, but not before Ares' actions registered in his head.

_He can dash forward in short bursts of speed, but he can't sustain that speed for long. His usual sprinting speed hasn't increased all that much._

Siren cocked his fist back and threw it forward. He didn't know what he was expecting, but Ares simply threw his own Hammerfist forward, and it connected with Siren's. The two attacks canceled each other out, and before he knew it, Ares lurched forward, shoving both his Hammerfist and Siren's into the street. He gave a cold chuckle as he delivered a brutal uppercut with his free Hammerfist, smashing it into Siren's chin and sending the younger Prototype into the air.

Ares made the mistake of looking up at Siren, and in that moment, Mikoto lashed out with her sword. The powerful weapon cut through Ares' chest, knocking him back in surprise. However, his body began repairing the wound as Mikoto retracted her sword.

Mikoto stepped back and prepared to shoot Ares with lightning as the Alex look-alike stepped forward towards her. He didn't get the chance to attack because a blast of lighting from behind him hit him in the back, causing him to step forward. He turned back to look at the person who had hit him, but his face didn't portray pain—at most, he looked like he was slightly uncomfortable.

Rika, who had shot Ares with one of her gloves, blinked at how ineffective the attack had been. Ares' arms quickly changed into Whipfists, and he swung them around in wide arcs. Rika jumped into the air, avoiding both weapons, and fired two more blasts of electricity at Ares. Both blasts connected, but the Prototype wasn't fazed.

Siren landed behind Ares, and he, Mikoto, and Rika surrounded their enemy. "So this whole 'loyal soldier' thing was just an act?!" Siren shouted. "You've got your own set of plans?!"

Ares gave a short bark of laughter. "Don't act so surprised. You were the one who taught me how to act and lie, after all. I thought you knew me better, teacher." Ares turned to Siren and launched his Whipfist at him. Siren formed his Shield and slapped it away before charging forward. Rika followed in his lead, sprinting towards Ares. Mikoto, sensing that she wouldn't be of much use in close quarters combat with two allies next to her, waited for an opening.

Siren slammed into Ares, using his Hammerfists to try and batter the other Prototype. Rika punched and kicked to the best of her ability, but despite the combined effort, Ares was still standing.

"Here's something else you taught me!" Ares shouted as he slammed his arms against the roof, producing a small shockwave. Siren and Rika were both pushed back, and Ares used the opportunity to stab both of them with his Whipfists. He whirled around lifting them both into the air and allowing his Whipfists to extend with them.

Before he could slam them back down into the ground, however, Mikoto sprang into action, using her chainsaw-like sword to chop of Ares' arm. The Prototype turned to her in surprise, momentarily neglecting to pay attention to the silver-haired fighter still attached to his functioning Whipfist.

Rika hit the ground and dove forward, twirling in the air and slamming her foot into Ares' head. The Prototype stumbled to the side, blinking in confusion. Both girls took the opportunity to attack by simultaneously blasting him with electricity. The combined force was enough to send him stumbling backwards, but he was quick to recover.

With a roar, he lurched forward, head butting the nearest person, which just so happened to be Rika. The girl grunted and fell backwards, only to receive a brutal kick to the side which sent her stumbling across the rooftop. Ares turned his attention to Mikoto, who held her sword out in front of her, prepared to cut through Ares no matter what he did.

Ares' right arm transformed into his Blade, and he swung it over his head in a downward arc at Mikoto. The girl raised her own sword to block, and the chainsaw-like weapon once again saved her with its cutting power by slowly slicing through Ares' Blade as it descended, slowing it down enough to prevent it from cutting her in half. Before the Prototype could finish her off with his planned kick, Siren grabbed him from behind and jumped into the air, flipping over and pointing Ares' head at the ground. The two slammed into the rooftop, causing it to crack and groan, but since Ares was far taller than Siren, his head slammed into the rooftop while Siren remained unharmed.

Siren relinquished his hold on Ares and jumped to the side, next to Mikoto. "Don't engage him in close quarters combat. He'll overpower you quickly and you'll be done for."

Mikoto frowned. "We need a plan to stop him. He's too strong to take head on—"

"So we'll have to create openings for someone to attack him," Rika interrupted as she walked up to them while Ares hauled himself to his feet. "We need to wait for him to attack, then throw him off balance. That'll be the best opportunity to attack him."

By now, Ares had stood up and was glaring at them with his glowing red eyes. "Hmm, impressive use of openings, but your attacks are weak," he told them. Siren and Rika jumped in front of Mikoto, putting themselves between her and Ares. The Alex Mercer look-alike craned his neck before forming his Whipfist. Eyes widening, Siren grabbed Mikoto and jumped into the air, just as Rika fell to the ground, pressing herself against the rooftop as Ares' Whipfist passed over her.

Siren landed with a thud and let go of Mikoto before turning to her. "Look for openings to attack him," he barked before reaching up to his earpiece. "Rika, help me create openings for Mikoto to attack. She can do the most damage with her sword thing."

"Sword thing?" he heard Mikoto ask from behind him. "Give me a break."

Siren dashed forward, as did Rika. The two met Ares head on, and it became very obvious very fast that he was superior to the two when it came to close quarters combat. Siren swiped at him with his Claws while Rika attempted to land punches and kicks, but Ares either evaded—as he preferred against Rika's attacks—or blocked—as he preferred against Siren's attacks.

The silver-haired Prototype growled and whirled around, reaching out with his foot. Ares, rather than sticking to his pattern and blocking, jumped and bent his legs, allowing Siren's kick to pass under him, and connect rather harshly with Rika's cheek. The girl was knocked aside with a surprised grunt, and the moment Siren took his eyes off Ares and looked at Rika, Ares attacked, using his superior strength to knock Siren aside.

Siren slid across the ground before flipping and landing on all fours, crouching like a cat. Ares stood dead still in the center of the rooftop, eyeing him with a neutral expression.

_Perhaps he's become arrogant with his newfound power? We could use that to our—_

"Watch it, dumbass!" Rika roared. Siren glanced her way before refocusing on Ares. Siren's eyes widened when Ares charged at him, preparing to attack with his Blade. Siren scrambled to his feet, watching as Ares dashed forward, thrusting out with his Blade. Siren rolled to his right and noticed that Rika was running up behind Ares.

_I need to keep him busy for another second or two…_

Siren jumped up, forming Whipfists on both his arms and lashing out at Ares. Ares blocked both attacks with his Blade, only to grunt when Rika slammed into him from behind, causing him to stumble forwards. In that moment, Siren jumped forwards, forming his Blade, and thrusting it into Ares' chest.

He managed to lift Ares a few centimeters off the ground with the initial thrust before hauling Ares over his head and slamming him into the rooftop headfirst. He yanked his Blade out of the other Prototype and jumped back, watching as Mikoto charged in with her sword.

Ares saw it coming and launched himself away from Mikoto using his hands. He dashed away from her, displaying the same, supernatural speed from earlier, leaving a confused Mikoto standing where her target once was.

"Siren," Rika began over the earpieces. "You and I need to charge him and force him to attack. When he does, we dodge and counterattack in a way that stuns him for as long as possible. Once that's done, Mikoto will have a clear shot at him. If we follow that pattern, we can beat him."

Siren and Mikoto both nodded at Rika. Siren and Rika charged at Ares, watching as he activated his Tendrils power. He threw a punch, sending tendrils flying at them. Siren and Rika both dove out of the way before rushing Ares from both his right and his left. Ares lifted up his foot, using it to block Siren's attack before sending several more tendrils at Rika.

The girl dodged, and Siren dropped to the ground, lashing out with his foot to try and trip Ares. Unfortunately, Ares jumped, avoiding Siren's attack and forcing Siren to scramble away to avoid being crushed. Meanwhile, Rika jumped at Ares, aiming a kick at his head. He ducked under it, and quickly formed a Hammerfist on his right arm. He threw a punch at Rika, but missed, hitting the rooftop instead.

_Now!_

Siren formed his Claws and dashed at Ares and began swiping at him, clawing through his chest and stomach area. The strikes connected, forcing Ares to stumble back. Siren kicked out with his right foot, connecting with Ares' stomach area and caused him to dash away. Ares turned and refocused on him, but looked up in surprise when he saw a shadow. Rika slammed into Ares from above, delivering a brutal kick to his head.

The discharged electricity blinded him for a moment, and Mikoto took that moment to attack, swinging her sword and allowing it to extend beyond its usual length. The sword connected with Ares' arm, cutting through the flesh with less ease than before. Nevertheless, it still cut through.

_Alright, he's a lot stronger now, but Mikoto's sword can still cut him…_

Ares hissed in anger—not in pain, but in anger—and regenerated his arm in a split second. Mikoto had already retreated, and Rika was now standing in between Mikoto and Ares. Rather than attacking, Ares stood still, and Siren watched in confusion as tentacles began writhing around his entire body, encasing him in a cocoon of sorts. Ares groaned as the tentacles swirled around his body at blinding speeds. A strange noise echoed throughout the area, and if Siren didn't know any better, he's say the tentacles around Ares were hardening. Suddenly, the remaining tentacles melted into place, revealing Ares with his new power activated.

Ares' body now looked like it was made of light-grey, almost white stone. Siren could still make out the other Prototype's clothing and features, except now, they were a different color, slightly blocky, and presumably harder. His face had followed the same pattern, becoming blockier with the lower half of it looking like it was covered by some sort of faceguard.

_A-armor?! Since when could he…?! Where did that even come from?!_

"Impressive, isn't it?" Ares shouted. "It's an adaptation of the Armor you used to use!" Then, he looked to Rika and Mikoto. "You can thank my teacher here for showing me how to do this! Without it, you might have actually stood a chance of beating me with the esper's sword!"

"Damn it, Siren!" Rika roared.

"This isn't my fault!" he shot back.

"Oh, but it is!" Ares interrupted. Siren growled when he realized Ares was enjoying this. "You took great care in showing me how to use the Armor YOU developed! I just made it better!"

Ares turned to Siren and began running to him, though his speed took a severe hit after donning the armor.

_If he's moving that much slower, that means the armor must be that much more powerful!_

Siren charged at Ares to test the Armor, holding out his Blade in preparation for an attack. Ares made no move to stop Siren as he jumped into the air, flipped forward to gather momentum, and swung his Blade in a downward arc. It impacted on Ares' head, but didn't cut very far in.

_Shit…_

Ares roared as he swung an armored fist at Siren, connecting painfully with his cheek. Siren felt the blow take off a chunk of his face as he was sent rolling across the rooftop. He felt his body healing itself as he rose to his feet, grunting from both shock and the realization that Ares may simply be too powerful to defeat.

Once again, Ares stood his ground while Mikoto, Siren, and Rika surrounded him. "Any ideas?" Siren asked over their earpieces. "I don't know how well the last plan is going to work now…"

Ares looked between them, and if Siren could see his expression, he was sure that he'd appear bored. "No," Mikoto suddenly said, catching Siren off guard. "The old plan can still work. You and Rika can distract him until he attacks, then counterattack while he's vulnerable and stun him. In that moment, I can attack. We'll wear him down eventually. Just stick to your Hammerfists—your bladed weapons are too weak to cut him right now. Your cuts will be too shallow. Siren, you attack first, then get out of there while Ares tries to hit you. Rika, you jump in after that and stun him. I'll take it from there, and we'll repeat."

Siren frowned before his arms turned into Hammerfists while Ares mimicked him, activating his own Hammerfists. He kept his eyes on Ares for a moment before both he and Rika charged forwards while Mikoto waited a safe distance from Ares. Siren swung his Hammerfist at Ares, half expecting the Prototype to dodge. Ares stepped back slightly, allowing Siren's Hammerfist to pass by his chest. Before Ares could counterattack, Siren rolled out of the way. At that moment, Rika's foot connected with Ares' head, discharging a moderate amount of electricity.

Ares reeled back ever so slightly, but Rika had already gotten out of the way. With his back turned to her, Mikoto took the opportunity to attack, lengthening her sword as it stretched towards Ares. Unfortunately, he heard her, and clumsily jumped out of the way. Siren frowned as he watched Ares.

_Our advantage right now is speed. We've got to capitalize on that as much as we can. _

"Mikoto, Rika," he barked into his earpiece. "Let's try this: Rika will run in and cause a diversion, then, while Ares counterattacks, I'll go for him. I'll stun him, then Rika moves back in, and then me again. Ares will be focused on us by then, so Mikoto will have a clear shot. Rika, you and Mikoto can then attack at once; have Ares focus on you, Rika, and while he's busy, you can move in for the attack, Mikoto."

The girls nodded in understanding from their positions. Rika charged forwards, rushing at Ares with a snarl. She attacked him with a flurry of punches and kicks—most of which he blocked. Finally, Ares threw a punch of his own, and Rika flipped out of the way. Ares looked over just in time to see Siren's Hammerfist quickly closing in on his face. Ares crossed his arms over his face to block the attack.

Siren's fist connected, and Ares was pushed back a bit. Siren hit again and again, knocking Ares back bit by bit. Finally, Ares lashed out with a kick, only to find that Siren had moved. Suddenly, Rika slammed into him from behind, causing him to stumbled forwards. Before he could react, he was sent flying into the air by a Hammerfist-empowered uppercut, courtesy of Siren.

Ares hauled himself to his feet as Rika charged at him. He growled and formed his Blade, holding it over his head as he prepared to attack Rika. Then, without warning, Rika froze, and Ares felt Mikoto's sword cutting into his shoulder.

The process wasn't fast, but her sword cut further than Siren could. Ares growled and lurched forward, away from Mikoto. Blood poured from the wound Mikoto had inflicted, indicating that she had managed to cut through his armor. However, the wound was quickly healing, and Ares turned to look at them again.

"That's not going to work a second time," Mikoto told them over the earpieces. "We need something new and fresh to take him on. He's only going to keep catching on to our strategies if we keep repeating them."

Siren gulped.

This was not going to be a pleasant time for them.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Armor: Recently, someone asked me if I planned on including the Armor, and I said 'no'. Then, two chapters later, my insane mind thought, 'hey, that would actually be pretty cool—make the Armor like an end-game type power!' So here it is. It doesn't look anything like the original Armor from [Prototype], though. Ares' basically grew a second layer of skin that went right over his original body. Just imagine that he's larger, and that his body is now light grey, slightly blocky, and stone-like in appearance. **


	43. Chapter 43

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**THAQIF: Actually, that sounds like a very interesting idea. I have seen Akame Ga Kill, so I know the story, and Alex Mercer probably wouldn't be too overpowered in their universe. I'll consider it, but I don't promise anything (I've already got several ideas for my next story, so this one is being added to the list).**

**MARIS BROOD-THEDARKZABRAKJEDI: Yes, actually. Interestingly enough, I didn't notice the similarities until you pointed that out. **

**Chapter 43**

**Murder Your Maker (Part 2)**

"Watch out, watch out, WATCH OUT!"

Despite Rika's warning, Siren failed to dodge in time, and Ares slammed into his back, sending him tumbling across the street. Siren grunted as he came to a stop, jumping to his feet and dodging a Whipfist that came dangerously close to impaling his head.

Rika roared as she attacked Ares, stepping closer to him with each punch while Ares calmly stepped away. To the untrained eye, it would seem that Rika had the advantage and was pushing Ares back. However, Siren and Mikoto weren't stupid enough to believe that.

_He's just toying with us…Even with all the Evolved I've consumed, he's __**still**__just playing around! _

Siren gulped as he sprinted to help Rika.

_How much worse is the guy who Ares worked for? _

Siren charged at Ares, who was still blocking and slapping away Rika's attacks with armored fists that seemed to be reinforced by Musclemass as well. Rika's gloves had long since run out of power to discharge electricity, and nobody bothered forcing Mikoto to use more of her energy to recharge them—they were too ineffective against Ares anyway.

Siren threw a violent punch at the back of Ares' head. The punch connected, and his Hammerfist sent him tumbling forwards. Rika had the sense to jump out of the way, avoiding Ares in his armored form. Rika gave Siren a short nod, and the two rushed forward to grab Ares' attention while Mikoto ran around to flank him.

Ares sprang to his feet, ready to fight once more. However, Mikoto's sword slamming into his back prevented him from attacking. Mikoto grunted and stepped back, allowing her sword to return to its normal length. Ares turned to her, clearly ready to charge and tear her apart.

Siren and Rika sprang into action, quickly outrunning the slower, heavier Prototype, and putting themselves between him and Mikoto. Ares still charged at them, holding out both arms as though he intended to grab both of them.

Siren and Rika sprang away from his grip while Mikoto moved out of Ares' path. Rika attacked first, picking up a car with ease and throwing it at Ares. The armored Prototype lowered his shoulder, and Siren watched as the car bounced off.

_Son of a bitch, this is unfair._

Ares straightened out and brushed something off his shoulder like it was nothing. He craned his neck before looking back at Siren and Rika. "Look at the two of you," he began calmly. "So tired, so outmatched, so _weak_." He shook his head in disapproval. "I would have hoped you'd have had the sense to join the right side, teacher. Sadly, it seems that I was mistaken. You're not the same warrior that gave me life."

Siren spat to the side. "You keep telling me I gave you life, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't create something as dangerous and disloyal as _you_."

Ares crossed his arms. "Well, you did send me to my death. You and I both expected me to be dead by the time you woke up. Lucky that someone else found me, huh?"

Siren hissed in anger. What was this guy talking about?! "Who? Who found you?!" he demanded.

Ares only shook his head. "That's need-to-know information, and you don't need to know."

Rika looked between them, as did Mikoto. The four fighters stood still, eyeing each other, wondering how to proceed. "Guys," Mikoto hissed over the earpieces. "Any new plans?"

Siren hesitated before looking around them. There were a few stray Infected wandering the street. He blinked when he remembered one of the new abilities he had picked up from consuming the Evolved.

"I've got an idea," Siren replied. "Hold him off for a few seconds." With that, Siren sprang backwards and focused on a lone, wandering Infected. He grabbed it by the throat and plunged his fingers into its neck. Red and black tentacles writhed around the creature's body as it squirmed and twisted. He turned back to Ares, who was currently being held back by the combined efforts of Rika and Mikoto.

"Get back!" he barked over the earpieces. "I don't want to hit you two!"

As he said it, Rika and Mikoto retreated, giving him an open shot at Ares. Siren threw the Infected at the armored Prototype, watching in anticipation as the humanoid creature sailed towards him at high speeds. Ares didn't have time to dodge, and the Infected hit him before bursting in an explosion of tendrils, which reached out and grabbed anything close by before yanking it all towards a central point—which just so happened to be Ares.

Rika and Mikoto yelped, both dodging tendrils as they shot past them. Siren instantly regretted not waiting until they got further away before throwing the Infected.

_Mikoto would have died if she had gotten pulled into that. I almost killed one of our allies—I've got to be more careful._

"A little warning would have been nice!" Mikoto shouted.

"Sorry," Siren quickly replied over the earpieces. He saw Mikoto visibly blink at his sudden apology. She must not have been expecting him to apologize so quickly. Siren moved to grab another Infected, and thankfully, Rika and Mikoto figured out what was coming, because both of them sprinted out of the way as Siren grabbed, stabbed, and threw another Infected.

Again, it hit Ares before he could move, seeing as he was still ripping his way out of the original tendrils that were unleashed by the first bio-bomb. The second one impacted with similar results, but before Siren could attempt to throw a third, Ares slammed his foot into the ground, and Siren was suddenly lifted from the ground by massive red and black spikes that had erupted from beneath him.

Ares held him in place while he attempted to free himself, but Mikoto was having none of that. She produced a coin from her pocket and balanced it on her finger and pointed it at Ares. The armored Prototype failed to see what she was doing, and before he could react, Mikoto had launched her famous Railgun at him.

The projectile shot through Ares, almost entirely ignoring his armor as it punched through him. As he was lifted completely off the ground by the attack, his foot was removed from the ground, dragging along with it the spikes that had erupted from beneath Siren.

The younger Prototype fell to the ground with a grunt before scrambling to his feet. He eyed the slowly-rising form of Ares, analyzing the situation before him.

_Alright, his Armor isn't unbreakable. Mikoto's attacks are the most effective by far, so Rika and I just need to keep distracting him. But how long will that work?_

The irony was not lost on him: here stood his greatest challenge yet, and the only one who could do any real harm to said challenge was a human girl—a _child_, no less.

_Oh how the mighty have fallen…_

***Page Break***

Mikoro eyed the cameras with unease, watching as her friends desperately tried to defeat Ares. Even with Rika's new gloves, Siren's consumption of the Evolved, and Mikoto's natural abilities as a fighter, Ares was still holding his own.

_And to think that he isn't even the last one…there's still someone else out there—someone stronger than Ares._

She suppressed a shiver at the thought of someone out there even more dangerous than Ares. Mikoro bit her lip as she watched Ares kick Rika cross the street, only for Siren to attack him from behind. The armored Prototype treated Siren to a Hammerfist to the face, sending him bouncing across the street.

Mikoto risked an attack and shot Ares with a bolt of electricity as she ran to regroup with Rika. It became painfully obvious early on that Mikoto wouldn't survive a direct hit from Ares. As a result, she had to stay close to either Siren or Rika so that they could cover for her should Ares come too close.

"Good grief," Touma breathed. Mikoro nearly jumped out of her seat at the sound of his voice. She had forgotten that he and Index were watching as well. "Um, guys," Index asked nervously. "What happens if they, um, you know…lose?"

Mikoro gulped. What would happen?

"They won't lose," Touma stated confidently. "Biri-Biri wouldn't let the Infected take over Academy City. She's too strong to let that happen…"

The three continued watching the fight through the use of the various cameras that had been set up around the city some time ago. Mikoto, Siren, and Rika were putting up a very good fight, and if it weren't for Ares' Armor, they might have been winning. Unfortunately, that Armor made him far more durable than any of the other Infected they had fought up until now. That and his recent consumption of the elite Infected and Clara had given him a healthy boost to his power.

Healthy for him, fatal for them.

The continued watching the fight for several more painfully long minutes. They had lost track of time, and thus didn't know how long it had been since the fight had started. It wasn't until Aleister called that they were forced to acknowledge something besides the fight.

"Are you still there?" asked the mysterious man over her earpiece. Mikoro fumbled a bit with the device because she had been startled, but finally managed to reply.

"Yes, I'm still here," she answered.

"I have bad news," replied Aleister. "At this rate, I find it hard to believe that Ares will be defeated. The only outcome I see right now is the defeat of your friends. Ares will wear them down sooner or later."

Mikoro's eyes widened. Touma was tapping her shoulder, trying to figure out what was going on, but she ignored him. "What?! But…what do we do then? How can we help?!"

Aleister hesitated. "There is a way to help. I will need you and the others to pitch in as well." By now, Mikoro had put Aleister on speaker so that Touma and Index could hear as well.

"What do you need?" she questioned.

"I've already contacted a doctor at that hospital. He will seek you out shortly. When he arrives, go with him and do as he says," Aleister replied. "If all goes as planned, the chances of Ares' defeat will rise exponentially."

"How will we know who—" Touma was interrupted as a certain frog-faced doctor quickly entered the room. His expression was grim and his fists were clenched, probably because of the stress of the entire situation with the Infected.

"Children, I need you to come with me!" he began. "We need to work quickly, lest Ares overpower your friends before we can provide the necessary assistance!"

Touma, Index, and Mikoro looked at each other in confusion. "That would be him," Aleister explained.

"Oh," was the collective reply that he received.

***Page Break***

Siren grunted as he fell to one knee, holding both Hammerfists over his head as Ares pressed down on him with a single, powerful Hammerfist. The ground beneath his feet cracked from all the weight being placed down upon it.

Rika was dislodging herself from a pile of rubble, desperately trying to get out of the small building Ares had knocked down on her. Mikoto was providing what assistance she could to try and free the dark-haired girl while Siren attempted to hold off Ares.

'Attempted' being the keyword.

Ares swung out with his leg, hitting Siren's side. The armored limb tore through the biomass that comprised Siren's body, sending him tumbling to the side with a good chunk of his side missing. He rolled across the ground, coughing slightly as his body regenerated.

_I need to consume something. _

He pounced at the nearest Infected, immediately beginning to pound it into the ground with his Hammerfists. It didn't take more than one strike to crush the creature—the strikes that followed were completely unnecessary—and Siren quickly consumed the creature. But by the time he looked up, Ares was already in front of him, one fist cocked back in preparation for an attack.

Siren didn't have time to block, and before he could move, the armored fist of Ares slammed into his face, sending him flying into a nearby building. He slammed into the building, crashing right through its walls with little resistance.

Unlike what he expected, Ares didn't immediately show up inside the building. Siren blinked when he realized that Ares wasn't making an attempt to attack him, only for his eyes to widen in realization a second later.

_He's going after the girls!_

Siren leapt out of the building, only to find Rika desperately trying to hold Ares off while Mikoto moved for cover. Siren leapt at Ares, raising both Hammerfists over his head and slamming them down on Ares' back. The armored Prototype was forced to the ground, giving Rika a chance to step back and take a breath.

Ares was rising to his feet far sooner than what Siren would have been comfortable with. He raised his Hammerfists up again and began pounding Ares into the ground. However, before Rika or Mikoto could lend aid, Ares had kicked Siren away, giving himself the time he needed to scramble to his feet.

Both Siren and Rika backed off, making sure to stand between Ares and Mikoto. Ares created his own set of Hammerfists and raised them into the air before slamming them down on the ground. Siren's eyes widened and he jumped on instinct, only to gasp when he realized he had forgotten to grab Mikoto.

Luckily, Rika was already on it. She had grabbed Mikoto and jumped into the air, just as rows of red and black spikes erupted from the ground, ripping through anything that got in their way. Siren looked back to Ares, only to find him activating his Tendrils power.

Ares pointed his arm at a building, and tendrils shot out, quickly slamming into the tall building. The tendrils began tearing through the structure, slowly ripping it apart and pushing it to the side. Siren gritted his teeth and jumped back and began sprinting away.

"Get back! He's trying to drop the building on us!" he shouted to Rika and Mikoto. Rika, who was still holding Mikoto, ran after him, glancing back as the building was toppled by Ares. The trio managed to get away before the building fell, skidding to a stop as they watched the structure collapse in an explosion of dust and smoke. Siren's fists clenched when he watched Flyers emerging from the spot where Ares was probably standing. His view of the armored Prototype may have been obscured, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what Ares was doing.

"He's regurgitating Infected!" shouted Mikoto. "We need to stop him before he throws up an army!"

The three dashed forward, jumping to the sides of buildings and avoiding all the debris that was now covering the street. Flyers swung down to grab them, often missing, but occasionally, one would come dangerously close to grabbing then. Mikoto used her lightning to blast the Flyers out of the sky before they could touch her or Rika, and Siren used his Whipfists to knock them away as well.

Suddenly, Siren was tackled by a Hunter that had literally come bounding out of the debris. The creature crashed into him, tearing him off the wall of the building he was running against and knocking the two of them to the ground.

"We've got Hunters!" Siren shouted as he punched away the face of the Hunter while it tried to bite him. Rika and Mikoto spared a glance at him before a Hunter leapt into their field of view. Mikoto lashed out with her sword, the blade barely missing Rika, but cutting through the Hunter's head.

The two girls gasped as Ares leapt out of the smoke, Claws fanned out and ready to strike. If it weren't for his Armor slowing him down, he would have skewered the two before they could react. Meanwhile, Siren was cutting a Hunter to pieces with his Blade.

The moment he killed the creature, he spotted Ares charging after a retreating Rika and Mikoto. Rika leapt off the building she was running along and set Mikoto down on the ground. She then whirled around, leaping at Ares to prevent him from getting to Mikoto. The two clashed midair, but Ares' weight proved too much for Rika, and the two plummeted to the ground.

Ares landed on top of Rika, pinning her to the ground before pulling back his fist and slamming it into Rika's face. The damage was extensive, and after a single punch, Rika's face looked as though it had been mauled by a wild animal. Before Ares could get any further, however, Siren tackled him, sending both Prototypes tumbling off Rika.

This time, Siren ended up on top, but before he could make use of his superior position, Ares grabbed the sides of his head and yanked him down while bringing his own head up. The resulting headbutt caused Siren's vision to leave him momentarily as his eyes were damaged by Ares' armored head.

The younger Prototype stood and scrambled back to the best of his abilities while his eyes healed. The healing process was quick, but Ares was quicker. Before Siren could see again, a foot slammed into his face, sending him flying again. The kick damaged his eyes some more, causing his temporary blindness to linger longer than it should have.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Siren by the throat, lifting him off the ground. Then, before he could react, he was slammed back down into the street, and a foot slammed into his back, ripping straight through him. If his eyes were healed, they would have widened in horror.

_Ares is about to consume me!_

**Explanations/Clarifications **

**You didn't see anything… **

**(Cheap cliffhanger, I know)**


	44. Chapter 44

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**GUEST: I'm trying to find a way to give Touma some time in the spotlight (without getting him killed), but I'm not promising anything. Just know that I do indeed want to find a realistic way to have Touma get involved. And yeah, you'd think it'd be obvious to those three that the doctor was Aleister's man, but given that those three live in a world with shape shifting virus people, they learned to question things until they're certain. **

**MYTHFAN: Thank you.**

**Chapter 44**

**Murder Your Maker (Part 3)**

"Siren!" Mikoto roared. The idiot was getting consumed! She could see tentacles reaching out from Ares' body, all while stray tentacles reached from Siren's back and began wrapping around Ares' foot.

She shot a blast of electricity at Ares, but one of his Infected—a lesser one—jumped in front of the blast. Other Infected began crowding around Siren and Ares, acting as an Infected shield. Rika charged forward, barreling through the Infected that got in her way, but it was clear that she wasn't going to reach Siren in time.

The younger Prototype was struggling to break free, desperately hanging on to his life to prevent Ares from consuming him. Infected were swarming the area now, seemingly appearing out of nowhere at Ares' command. Mikoto cut them down with ease, but their sheer numbers prevented her from helping Siren. When she did finally catch a glimpse of Ares and Siren, her eyes widened when she saw that Ares had raised his armored leg again in preparation to stomp on Siren.

_He won't be able to stop Ares from consuming him if he's that injured!_

She swung her sword, cutting down as many Infected as she could. Meanwhile, she desperately tried to retrieve a coin from her pocket to fire at Ares, but froze when the loud sound of a gunshot filled the air. The Infected momentarily paused, causing Mikoto to blink in confusion. She heard the sound of someone stumbling backwards, and before she knew it, Siren was leaping into her field of view, one eye healed while the other was still finishing.

He looked as surprised as everyone else, and he was searching for something. Suddenly, a pair of arms lifted her off the ground, and Mikoto almost cut them off on instinct, only to let out a sigh of relief when she saw that the arms belonged to Rika.

The three of them landed away from the circle of Infected, who were now beginning to advance towards them again. "What just happened?" asked Rika. Siren was looking to their right, staring at the buildings in the distance.

"I think…someone shot Ares," he replied.

The three backed away from the crowd of Infected, but paused when they noticed the armored Prototype rising to his feet amidst the lesser creatures. There was a gaping hole in his face, one that destroyed his eyes and his sense of sight. Mikoto blinked in surprise at the sight.

_That must be why the Infected hesitated. Whatever orders Ares was giving them must have been cut off by his injury._

"A sniper?" asked Rika. "And he punched through Ares' Armor no less?"

"Questions later," Siren barked. "Ares is coming." Sure enough, the Prototype in question was approaching them. Half of the hole in his face had healed, granting him sight in his right eye, and he was breaking into a slow jog. Mikoto gritted her teeth as the Prototype approached.

Siren and Rika jumped in front of her, blocking Ares and preparing to fight. Mikoto paused when she noticed several Flyers heading towards the direction from where the gunshot came. "Guys," she hissed. "Ares is searching for whoever shot him. Whoever is out there is in danger now!"

"No time for that!" Siren roared as Ares broke into a full sprint, the remainder of his face having healed. "Rika, hold him off for a second!" Rika nodded and complied. Siren whirled around, raising both Hammerfists over his head before slamming them down into the ground. Spikes erupted in a triangle-shaped pattern away from his body, shredding the Infected that had been approaching.

"Mikoto!" the silver-haired Prototype began as his spikes retracted. "Attack when you see an opening!" Mikoto frowned, wondering how they could help the mysterious sniper who had attacked Ares, but complied, and began watching Ares' movements while keeping an eye on her surroundings.

Ares' armored fist connected with Rika's head, knocking the girl back, but by then, Siren had already moved up to take her place, quickly jumping into Ares' way and relentlessly attacking him to stop him from advancing.

The larger Prototype fended him off without too much trouble, but Siren did land hits, seeing as Ares was much slower now. Still, the Armor that he had donned was preventing any of Siren's attacks from doing any real, serious damage. Despite that, the sheer force behind Siren's attacks was enough to hold Ares at bay…until he avoided one of the attacks and countered with a kick to Siren's midsection.

The silver-haired fighter was knocked back, only to quickly be replaced by his dark-haired counterpart. Mikoto watched, waiting for the perfect moment to attack Ares. Suddenly, Aleister's voice came through the earpiece.

"See if you can get Ares to stand still," said the man. Mikoto paused, noticing that Siren and Rika seemed to glance at their earpieces, signaling that Aleister had contacted them too. Ares was already on the move, swiping at the two fighters with his Claws. Siren and Rika were forced to jump back, and before they knew it, Ares had formed a large Blade on his right arm and a Whipfist on his left.

The armored Prototype swung his Whipfist in a wide arc, forcing Siren and Rika to dodge. Both fighters jumped into the air to avoid the whip-like weapon, and Ares took the opportunity to leap into the air, aiming his Blade at Rika's head as he plummeted towards her. The girl yelped and twisted out of the way, but Ares' Whipfist wrapped around her leg as the Prototype passed her, dragging her down with him. The two landed on the ground, Ares using his foot to pin Rika down before rising to his feet and instinctively blocking an attack from Siren using his Blade.

Even though Ares was undoubtedly the stronger fighter, the two still struggled for a moment before suddenly, the sound of a gunshot filled the air once more, and Ares suddenly had a new, gaping hole in his face.

"Mikoto, attack now," Aleister calmly stated. "Drive that sword into the hole the sniper created."

Mikoto didn't hesitate; she charged forwards, allowing her sword to extend beyond its normal length as she swung it at Ares. The tip of the chainsaw-like weapon was driven into the rapidly-healing face of the armored Prototype, and with the Armor in that spot already missing, Mikoto's sword ripped right into Ares' face.

It was a gruesome thing, to see a sword that behaved like a chainsaw shredding the flesh of another being's face. Ares desperately tried to remove the foreign object from his face, but failed to do so for several seconds, allowing Mikoto's sword to deal heavy damage to him.

Finally, he jumped away, a pool of blood collecting at his feet and flowing from the even larger hole that his face had been reduced to. Siren and Rika didn't wait for him to heal; both fighters charged Ares, assaulting him with a series of blows that focused mostly on his unarmored head. Ares, without his eyes, wasn't able to dodge the two, so all he could do was block his face and let his Armor do its job.

A few punches did find their way to Ares' new weak spot, however. Twice did Rika's fist enter the hole created by the efforts of Mikoto and the mystery sniper, and once, Siren managed to drive the bladed digits of his Claw into the unprotected biomass. However, it wasn't too long until Ares finally managed to reconstruct his face, allowing him to see once more. With his eyesight fully intact, he fought back, forcing Siren and Rika on the defensive.

The two scrambled back as Ares furiously attacked them, allowing some of his anger and frustration to fuel his attacks. His foot found its way into Rika's stomach, and his elbow slammed into Siren's forehead. Mikoto winced as her two friends were brutally knocked back. Suddenly, Ares' gaze snapped to her, and before Mikoto knew it, Ares was charging at her, his feet leaving large cracks and craters in the ground as he sprinted towards her.

Mikoto's eyes widened and she began jumping backwards, away from the angry Prototype. Siren and Rika were already on their way, but at this point, Ares was simply too close for them to catch up to him in time. Ares ran in a strange way, zigzagging and making jerky movements—most likely to avoid another bullet to the head in case the mystery sniper decided to take a shot.

His strange way of running gave Mikoto the precious seconds she needed to quickly come up with a plan. Lightning danced around her and she began firing blasts of electricity at Ares. Naturally, Area would dodge out of the way of each blast, and Mikoto knew that, even if they did hit, they wouldn't actually harm Ares all that much. However, the constant dodging and zigzagging slowed Ares down considerably, and before he knew it, Siren and Rika had caught up with him.

The two fighters tackled Ares, forcing him to stop and acknowledge them. The moment he was distracted, another gunshot rang out, but this time, Ares had his head turned to the side. Rather than blowing a hole between Ares' eyes, the mystery sniper had ended up blasting part of Ares' face off, leaving the Prototype's right eye intact.

Ares roared with fury, clearly unhappy with the presence of the sniper. Mikoto decided she'd step in at this point. She swung her arm, allowing her sword to extend and fly towards Ares. The armored Prototype saw the attack coming and reacted by stepping to the side, dragging Siren and Rika—who were both clinging to him to prevent him from moving freely—with him. With his attention divided between Siren, Rika, Mikoto, and the sniper, Ares was unable to keep all of them at bay at once. Rika had grabbed him by the neck and swung up on top of him, wrapping her legs around his midsection and pinning his arms down.

Her hands covered his face, and with a snarl, Rika dug her fingers into Ares' eyes, one of which had only recently healed. The effect was immediate, and Mikoto mentally slapped herself for not attacking Ares' eyes sooner—they were the only part of him that was unprotected. Ares roared and violently thrashed, attempting to throw Rika off of him. Fortunately, Rika held on, and Siren grabbed Ares from behind, activating his Musclemass power, and helping to pin down the armored Prototype's arms.

"Mikoto!" Siren shouted. "Now, attack now!" Mikoto hesitated when she realized attacking Ares while both her friends held him back could potentially hurt them too. "_Mikoto!_" Siren roared. "Hurry the fuck up!"

Pushing her hesitation to the side and reminding herself that her friends could both heal at inhumane rates, Mikoto charged forward, holding her sword parallel to the ground as she aimed to run it through Ares' chest. She could see Infected moving into the street as fast as they could—though, that wasn't very fast—and realized that Ares must be calling for help. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she drove her sword into Ares' chest, and the blade slowly went to work ripping through the Armor.

Ares was activating his Musclemass power, and it took the combined efforts of Rika's legs and Siren's Musclemass-reinforced arms to hold Ares' arms down—or at least far enough away from Mikoto to prevent him from ripping her apart. Mikoto allowed her sword to lengthen and slowly backed away, leaving the blade in Ares' chest while slowly putting distance between herself and the Prototype.

Her grip around her weapon tightened as sweat rolled down her face. She could see the Infected approaching, but she knew she had a little more time to do as much damage as humanly possible before she had to move. She could feel the sword sinking into Ares' chest, cutting through more and more of him with each passing second. Finally, she felt the layer of Armor give away, and she suddenly found it much, much easier for her sword to move. The feeling lasted until her weapon had completely run through Ares' chest and hit the Armor that was on his back.

Rather than try to rip through the newly-encountered layer, she raised her arms, angling the sword so that it plunged downwards into Ares' body, rather than try to dig through the Armor that it had run into. Suddenly, she felt the feeling of restriction return and her eyes widened as she realized that she was encountering resistance inside Ares' body once more.

She gritted her teeth when she realized Ares must have been hardening the biomass inside his body as well, making his entire body as hard as the Armor. She tried yanking the sword out, but realized with a gasp that it was stuck—the hardened biomass was preventing it from moving and she couldn't pull it out.

The situation only got worse when she realized that the Infected were coming dangerously close. Siren and Rika were still busy restraining Ares, so she knew that they wouldn't be able to intercept the Infected. Mikoto narrowed her eyes and yanked on her sword, allowing the portion that had been plunged into Ares' chest to break away from the rest of the sword.

With the weapon no longer stuck in Ares, Mikoto swung the blade in a wide arc, forcing it to extend further to accommodate for the part that was severed moments ago. The weapon—which was still perfectly suitable for combat—cut through the approaching lesser Infected like butter, giving Mikoto a little room to charge up a few electrical blasts to shoot away some of the other Infected. Luckily, no Flyers or Hunters had shown up yet, meaning that the only Infected here, save for Siren, Rika, and Ares, were slow and easy to kill. At most, they were probably meant to serve as a distraction or as a desperate attempt when all else was failing.

_We're getting closer. Ares isn't as cocky anymore, so he's starting to feel the pressure._

Surely enough, Ares' cocky attitude had flown out the window, replaced with a more serious, threatening aura. With a final grunt, he managed to slip an arm out from beneath Siren and Rika's combined strength before Mikoto could help them. With the limb finally free, he grabbed Rika by the head, hauling her over his entire body and slamming her into the ground.

Without her helping him, Siren was unable to restrain Ares, which resulted in Ares slamming his elbow into the younger Prototype's face, sending him rolling backwards. Ares turned back to Rika, who was scrambling away from him, and changed his arm into a Whipfist. Rika only barely managed to avoid being impaled and dragged by the furious Prototype.

She scrambled to her feet, lips pulled back in a snarl as she faced Ares. Siren was up as well, standing behind Ares with both his arms taking the form of his Hammerfists. Ares looked between them for only a moment before moving. He charged towards Mikoto with speed that indicated that the biomass he had hardened within his body was now soft again. His charge forced Rika to jump into his way to stop him from reaching Mikoto. Ares crashed into Rika, knocking her aside like a doll. However, Rika's fingers wrapped around Ares' arm, and she clung to him.

Siren was making his way over as fast as he could, quickly closing the distance between himself and Ares. His arm transformed into a Whipfist and he vaulted over Ares while swinging the weapon and allowing it to wrap around Ares' neck. He landed in front of the armored Prototype, yanking with all his strength and pulling Ares towards him. Rika attacked Ares in the split second that he took to focus on Siren, and Mikoto dashed forwards, aiming a strike at Ares' feet to distract him from Rika all the more.

For a second, it seemed as though they had gained the upper hand. However, Ares ignored Rika and Mikoto, instead opting to grab the chain of Siren's Whipfist. With a growl, he yanked on it, easily lifting Siren off his feet. The armored Prototype swung Siren over his head and smashed him against the street, ignoring Rika's attacks and allowing his Armor to soak up as much damage as it could. He then jumped into the air as high as he could—which, by a Prototype's standards, wasn't very high, given that he was encased in Armor. Still, it was high enough to avoid being hit by Mikoto's sword.

Ares twisted in the air and landed on all fours. As he did so, he sprang forwards, straight at Mikoto. The esper's eyes widened as Ares rapidly closed the distance between them. Mikoto reacted quickly, swinging her sword out in front of her, willing it to extend as it reached for Ares. The action forced Ares to perform an evasive maneuver, an action that slowed him down considerably. Before he could resume his pursuit, Rika slammed into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

The dark-haired girl rolled away, quickly escaping Ares' arms. She sprang to her feet, once again facing Ares. However, instead of attacking, Ares got up and began backpedaling, almost as though he was retreating. The three watched in confusion as Ares moved away, slowing jumping backwards over long distances. Suddenly, they saw it: Infected of all sorts began pouring from the streets behind Ares, akin to an army gathering behind its leader.

Ares continued moving away from them until the army of Infected overtook him, covering him. The trio quickly lost sight of Ares and began backing up as the massive army of mutant creatures approached. Mikoto glanced up when she heard Flyers screeching in the air as they circled the area.

"Shit," Siren hissed. "He must have been calling for his Infected for a while now. What we're seeing now must be an act of desperation…We won't be able to defeat Ares like this…" Hunters were crashing through the ranks of the Infected, closing the distance far faster than their lesser brothers. Mikoto gulped as she took a step back, glancing at her sword and wondering if there was a way to beat back an army of monsters plus a monstrous leader.

It was then that they heard it; a sound that should have been familiar, yet felt alien in this broken, zombie-overrun city: the sound of cars. The three turned back to see dozens of approaching vehicles of various sorts, ranging from black vans to ordinary civilians' cars.

They were even more surprised when the sound of a helicopter filled the air. They saw the aircraft circle around a building, its nose angled downwards as it approached them. Suddenly, a figure dressed in standard Anti-Skill clothing jumped out of one of the vans as it screeched to a stop. "Morons!" he roared. "_Move_!"

Siren, Rika, and Mikoto whirled around to see that the approaching Infected hadn't actually stopped—though they had slowed down slightly, probably because of Ares' confusion and momentary hesitation upon seeing the new faces on the battlefield. Siren grabbed Mikoto, and three of them quickly sprinted towards the vehicles. More Anti-Skill soldiers jumped out, swinging their weapons around to face the approaching Infected. The opened fire, and Siren was visibly surprised to see that the bullets actually damaged some of the larger Infected.

Mikoto was startled to see a fireball hurled over their heads and towards the Infected, exploding in the midst of a group of the creatures. She turned around to see an unfamiliar teen running with many of the Anti-Skill soldiers that were taking cover and firing at the Infected. The teen was throwing fireballs, and Mikoto gasped in surprise when she saw more teenagers running among the Anti-Skill soldiers, each using some sort of power to combat the Infected.

"Espers," she breathed. "But…who? What? What is all this?" she asked no one in particular.

"These," began Aleister over their earpieces. "Are your reinforcements."

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Not much to say. If you think something needs explaining from this particular chapter, let me know and I'll throw it in here. **


	45. Chapter 45

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE STORIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Chapter 45**

**The Tables that Turn**

Siren was dumbfounded. From what seemed to be out of nowhere, Anti-Skill soldiers had arrived—with a _helicopter_ no less—and were now helping to push back the swarm of Infected. Not only that, but there were a few dozen espers running amidst the soldiers as well, doing their absolute best to hold back the waves of approaching Infected.

"For Academy City!" roared a soldier to his right as he began gunning down Infected from atop a black van. Anti-Skill had used the vehicles they arrived in to create a barricade of sorts and were using whatever weapons they brought to kill Infected as they approached.

"Where did all this even…come from?" Mikoto slowly asked. "Did Aleister do this?"

"With help," replied the man over the earpieces. "You can thank the doctor and your friends for helping to spread the word and prove that there was, in fact, a small group of espers fighting against the one behind this invasion. Even the teleporting girl had to help with that part."

"Wait, what?" asked Mikoto. "Kuroko? I thought she was injured!"

"She's up and about now," Aleister explained. "She wanted to come here, but we forbade her; she's still too injured to put herself at risk. She decided to at least help spread the word of what was going on here. Mikoro had to physically show the footage of you three battling Ares to completely convince the Anti-Skill soldiers of the truth behind our words, and Touma managed to convince many espers to join the fight. He can be quite convincing when he wishes."

"Guys!" Rika barked. "That's great and all, but Ares is still here somewhere! We still need to find and stop him!"

Siren narrowed his eyes. She was right; Ares was still very much alive and very much a threat. "Aleister," Siren began. "How much do these people know of Ares?"

"Enough to know that you can't beat him alone," answered Aleister. "The arrival of this Infected army was probable, so Anti-Skill decided on the best courses of action for various scenarios, one of which included enemy reinforcements. They'll hold back the Infected, and when they see Ares, those who can will focus fire on him to offer you assistance during your fight. However, know that they won't be able to do too much damage unless a favorable opportunity arises. Some of the soldiers have ammunition that's been coated in chemicals that will harm Infected tissue, so they may be able to slightly burn Ares, but don't expect a miracle. This fight is still very much up to you three."

"I've got eyes on Tango Primary!" shouted a soldier. Siren was the first to whirl around to find the soldier who had spoken up. The moment he did, he followed the young man's line of sight until the spotted a familiar figure among the Infected, leaping over abandoned and broken cars.

Rika and Mikoto noticed Ares only a split second after Siren, and immediately, the three were sprinting to intercept the enemy Prototype. Rika grabbed Mikoto the second they took off to avoid leaving the slower girl behind, an act which Mikoto was grateful for. The soldier who had spoken up was busy gunning down approaching Infected, and Ares was already getting closer.

Siren leapt into the air, both hands transforming into Hammerfists as he dove towards the ground. Upon landing, a circle of massive spikes emerged from the ground around him, ripping through countless of the charging Infected, opening a small window of opportunity for the soldiers to shoot Ares. Someone must have informed the helicopter pilots that they had spotted Ares, because the moment Siren looked up, the helicopter was already making its way over, weapons blazing as it began firing down upon the Infected to give soldiers and espers alike the chance to attack Ares.

"Protect the helicopter!" shouted Rika as she leapt over one of Anti-Skill's cars with Mikoto in tow. It was obvious to everyone that Ares was more than capable of knocking the helicopter out of the sky with ease, and given that it would cause him lots of trouble, there was a chance he'd do just that. That meant the helicopter had to be protected from the armored Prototype.

Siren flinched when a bolt of electricity shot past him, narrowly missing Ares and forcing him to jump back into the crowd of Infected. Siren leapt into the air, gliding to keep himself afloat for as long as possible. Now that he was in the air, Siren found that keeping track of Ares was much easier, seeing as he stood head and shoulders above the other Infected and was a grey shape in a sea of reds, pinks, and other fleshy colors.

Rika was already charging at Ares, knocking aside Infected as she ran while Siren glided towards the enemy Prototype. He could see Ares stepping back in surprise, and it took him a moment to realize that Ares was being shot by the modified bullets that Anti-Skill was currently making use of.

Before either Rika or Siren reached him, Ares was already moving, wading through the crowd of Infected with ease. He ducked down slightly, using his Infected army as a shield to soak up the bullets so that he wouldn't waste biomass rebuilding his Armor as the bullets chipped away at it.

When he was close enough, Siren allowed his hands to transform into Claws and pounced at Ares with renewed confidence. Ares saw him coming, and raised his arm, a massive Shield forming on it, and allowed Siren's Claws to sink into it. He whirled around, slamming his Shield into the ground in an attempt to crush Siren beneath it.

Fortunately, Siren relinquished his hold, jumping away at the last second. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a pair of Infected tearing an older soldier apart. He narrowed his eyes.

_Don't get overconfident…Anti-Skill may be here to help, but their presence alone doesn't guarantee a victory. Don't get overconfident, don't get over confident, don't get over confident…_

Meanwhile, Rika had finally reached Ares, pulling back her fist as she threw a fast punch at his head. Just as she had expected, Ares dodged, and Rika responded by planting her hand on his shoulder and vaulting over him instead. Ares' hand shot out to grab her, but several modified bullets hit Ares in the chest. The force along wasn't enough to hurt him, but the chemicals used left burn marks on his chest.

Ares looked down in confusion, eyeing the newly-acquired injuries. He failed to notice Rika whirling around behind him, aiming a kick at his head. It wasn't until said kick connected that Ares realized his mistake, but by then, he was stumbling to the side from the force behind the kick.

Rika's eyes narrowed when she saw that Ares hadn't gone flying like she had hoped. Still, she remained calm and jumped out of the way, making sure to put distance between herself and the rapidly-recovering Ares. She landed on top of a small building, looking down as Infected rushed at the barricade Anti-Skill set up. Espers and soldiers alike were fighting the creatures, and both sides were suffering casualties, though the Infected were clearly outmatched—Anti-Skill and the espers were not only holding them back, but they were also _pushing_ them back.

Rika's head snapped to attention when she noticed Mikoto preparing another Railgun. Siren, meanwhile, was already engaged in combat with Ares, and predictably, the armored Prototype was proving to be the superior fighter. Rika jumped to the ground, preparing herself for whatever may happen if Mikoto missed with her Railgun.

Siren had noticed the esper preparing her signature attack, and Rika watched as he coaxed Ares into a powerful attack. The younger Prototype dove out of the way as Ares swung a massive Hammerfist at him, crushing the ground on contact. In that moment that he was still, Mikoto launched her Railgun.

The projectile she launched punched through Ares' Armor with shocking ease. The armored Prototype was sent tumbling backwards across the ground by the force of the impact, and before Rika knew it, the helicopter Anti-Skill had brought was over her head, shooting a steady stream of bullets at Ares.

The Prototype in question had gotten up, but was forced to cover his face with his hands to avoid having his eyes pumped full of holes by the bullets. The helicopter didn't stop, and continued its assault. "This is what you get for attacking our city!" shouted a voice from the helicopter. The voice was amplified by some sort of device that allowed it to be heard over the sound of fighting, and Rika found herself trying to remember the few lessons her father gave her about military vehicles and wondered if he had ever mentioned loudspeakers on a helicopter.

The taunting of the helicopter pilot had gotten the attention of other soldiers and the espers, and soon, they were roaring in agreement, fighting all the harder to push back the Infected. Various phrases and words were thrown at Ares and his Infected, causing Rika to smile.

The smile faded when Ares formed a huge Shield on his right arm and the bullets suddenly began bouncing off. It was only made worse when he started charging forwards, ignoring all the ammo that was being thrown at him. It wasn't long before the helicopter fired a lone missile, and much to Rika's astonishment, Ares literally _slapped it away_.

The helicopter immediately began flying away, attempting to put distance between itself and Ares as he sprinted towards it. Ares raised the Shield to guard himself once more as several fireballs came sailing over his Infected, directly towards him. As he blocked the fireballs, Siren and Rika were rapidly making their way over to Ares to prevent him from attacking the helicopter.

Siren, being closer to Ares, reached him first and opened his attack by tackling the enemy Prototype. The weight he threw against Ares was enough to send him stumbling forwards while Siren held on to his back, furiously twisting Ares' head side to side to prevent him from being able to accurately see. Meanwhile, Rika drove her fist into Ares' midsection, eliciting a grunt from him. Before he could respond to her, Rika repeated the motion, once again slamming her fist into Ares' midsection.

That was the final chance she got, as Ares quickly recovered and grabbed Siren before hauling him over his head and throwing him down at Rika. The two fell to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs, both trying to scramble away from Ares. As he took a step towards them, the familiar sound of a sniper being fired filled the area, and Ares was suddenly stepping back, a large hole in the right side of his chest.

In the moment he spared to look down at his chest to assess the damage and look up to find the sniper, Siren and Rika finally managed to get out of range of Ares' arms and jumped to their feet. Ares' body was already healing and he was already forming a Whipfist and swinging it in a wide arc.

Siren and Rika jumped away, watching as the Whipfist tore through a few Infected that had made the mistake of getting too close. Rika looked behind her, attempting to find Mikoto, only to let out a sigh of relief when she saw the esper helping Anti-Skill and the other teenagers to fend off the Infected.

The sigh of relief was replaced with a look of shock as she realized that there were close to no Infected left on the battlefield, save for Siren, Ares, and herself. She stared, mouth agape at how quickly Anti-Skill and the espers had dispatched the Infected and created a far more favorable battle.

Ares realized this too, evidenced by the fact that he was also staring wide-eyed at the scene. Suddenly, he stepped back, raising his arms slightly. Almost immediately, the Infected responded, and before anyone knew what was happening, all the Infected were retreating and gathering around Ares. Tentacles shot from Ares' body, grabbing the Infected and consuming them in seconds.

As dozens of Infected were devoured in the blink of an eye, it gave the appearance that masses of tentacles were quickly swarming towards Ares, gathering on his body and quickly melting into his Armor. The red glow in his eyes burned brighter, and Rika's eyes narrowed in determination as she realized what Ares was doing.

_He knows sending Infected to battle Anti-Skill is a suicide mission for them. He's gathering what biomass he can to add as much power as he can to his attacks and heal whatever injuries he's sustained…this is his final push…_

Both she and Siren began backing up as Ares consumed the remains of his army. With a snarl, he stepped forwards, his arms changing into a massive pair of Hammerfists. He took a step forwards, then another, and another, before finally, he was running at them, dead set on finishing what he started.

At the same time, a roar emanated from behind them, and Rika glanced over her shoulder to find that Anti-Skill and the espers were rushing forwards as well, weapons blazing and powers activating as bullets, fireballs, bursts of electricity, and a whole slew of other things were sent flying towards Ares.

To his credit, the armored Prototype didn't falter—if anything, he pushed himself even harder, rapidly closing the distance between himself and his opponents, despite how heavy he was with the Armor. Siren and Rika turned to each other and nodded slightly before charging forwards as well.

Time seemed to slow as they approached Ares. Then, as though time had finally been set free, everything exploded into sound and motion. Siren and Rika slammed into Ares, forcing Anti-Skill soldiers to hold their fire for a second to avoid hitting allies. Ares knocked Siren aside before kicking Rika in the stomach, sending the girl tumbling across the street and into the legs of an esper.

Several Anti-Skill soldiers passed Ares, sliding across the ground and emptying their magazines into his sides and back as they slid by. One esper ran straight at Ares, both fists glowing with a pale green light. The male esper roared with fury as he threw a violent punch at Ares, but his attack was cut short when Ares raised a Hammerfist, blocking the esper's punch. A swift kick to the side left the espers with more than a few broken bones as he was tossed over a group of soldiers, landing in an unmoving, crumpled heap some distance away.

No sooner had Ares removed the threat that another had risen to take its place. Anti-Skill was relentlessly shooting him with everything they had. Some sort of smoke-missile sailed past Rika and impacted on Ares' leg, causing him to temporarily bow to the ground in confusion as his leg was forced out from under him.

Siren was already making his way over to the kneeling Prototype, raising both Hammerfists over his head as he jumped into the air. He brought the weapons down onto Ares' back, causing the already kneeling Prototype to fall to his hands and knees.

"Not…by…_humans_," Ares hissed as Siren backed off, only for Rika to slam her foot into Ares' head. An older Anti-Skill soldier lifted a large, cylindrical weapon, aiming it at Ares. "Everyone, stand back!" he roared.

Ares looked up as the man pulled the trigger on the weapon. What looked like a hot piece of liquid metal came flying out of the barrel of the weapon, straight at Ares. The armored Prototype mustered his strength and rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the projectile as it passed him. It splattered on the ground, making a hissing sound as steam rose from the spot where the projectile had landed.

As soon as Ares rolled out of the way, everyone began backing up, all while opening fire and shooting at Ares with all they had. Once more, Siren and Rika rushed forwards, being two of the very few in the group who could face Ares in close quarters combat. Anti-Skill expertly maneuvered around the two of them, aiming to shoot Ares without actually hitting their allies.

Unfortunately, the espers, lacking the same training and experience that soldiers had, would occasionally come dangerously close to hitting an ally with one of their projectile, and on more than one occasion, one of their blasts of energy would make contact with Siren or Rika as they faced off against Ares.

Rika jumped away from Ares, grinning as a red ball of light passed by her and slammed into her enemy's chest. Siren swung his Whipfist at Ares' legs, knocking them out from under him and allowing Anti-Skill to get a few extra shots in on him. At one point, a sticky grenade went flying over Rika's head, landing and attaching itself to the back of Ares' leg. The armored Prototype didn't have time to remove the device, but there was just enough time for Siren and Rika to backpedal and give Ares some distance.

The grenade exploded with a bright flash, bringing Ares down to his knee, his right leg twisted and torn, but rapidly healing. Mikoto, along with another esper came rushing out of the crowd, both making a beeline for Ares. Mikoto swung her sword, allowing it to lengthen, and the other esper—a young girl with short red hair—held out her hands. Suddenly, a gust of wind burst from the girl's hands, and Rika could literally see the rushing air form into sharp blades. Both the air blades and Mikoto's chainsaw-sword connected with Ares' back.

The attacks crashed against Ares' back, and for a moment, it seemed as though Ares' Armor would protect him, but after a second, the Armor gave away, and both attacks cut into Ares' back, causing him to grunt and growl in pain. He stumbled forwards, only for the aged soldier from earlier to point his strange weapon at Ares' exposed back. "Now hold still, you rotten piece of shit," hissed the soldier. "I ain't missin' this time!"

True to his word, the soldier pulled the trigger once more. A hot piece of liquid metal came flying out of the barrel of the gun and slammed into Ares' unprotected back. The smell of burnt flesh began filling the air as the projectile burned through Ares' body. The enemy Prototype let out a roar of anger, but the Anti-Skill soldier didn't let up; he continued firing at Ares, blasting him repeatedly for several seconds.

Finally, Ares fell to the ground, curling up into a ball. Rika felt her heart practically leap out of her chest. Ares was down! He was finally down! Tentacles began writhing around his body, and his Armor slowly disappeared. A grin spread across Rika's face and soldiers and espers alike began cheering and roaring to the sky with joy.

Several fell to their knees, while others jumped out from behind their cover, jeering and pointing at Ares and shouting various curses at him. Suddenly, Rika's smile vanished from her face, her eyes widening as Ares slowly hauled himself to his feet. The tentacles that were writhing around him weren't disappearing—in fact, they were getting _faster_. His entire body began shaking and convulsing, twitching spastically as the tentacles increased in number and speed.

Rika's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. "GET BACK!" she shrieked. "HE'S USING A DEVASTATOR!"

Ares jerked upright, and tentacles exploded from his body.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Again, nothing. The story should be speaking for itself for a bit. **


	46. Chapter 46

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**THAQIF: No problem. And trust me, I eagerly await the day I can say that I finished a full story on Fanfiction. Oh, and I don't plan on starting a second story until this one is finished (helps me keep my thoughts organized). **

**GUEST: Apologies for that; you see, in real life, I'm a pretty negative person, so perhaps I let some of my own thoughts bleed into Siren's character? I'm still relatively new to writing characters, so it may be some time before I can fully separate my own traits from that of a character. **

**XXOBLIVIONXXX: Yeah, things get pretty crazy. This story won't go to that level, mostly to keep things at least a little balanced.**

**MINOR APOLOGY TO YOU GUYS: Yeah, I'm dragging this fight scene out a lot, I know, and I can understand that some (or many) are getting tired of Ares and his shenanigans. Just letting you know that it's almost over and *cough cough* canon Prototype characters *cough cough* inbound.**

**What? Huh? I didn't say anything… **

**Chapter 46**

**Cornered Animal**

Siren formed a Shield on his arm and held it out in front of him, bracing himself for impact as tentacles shot from Ares' body in every direction. He could hear screaming and shouting all around him as the tentacles tore through everything that was unfortunate enough to get in their way—living or not.

Several people were scrambling to get behind him, hiding behind his form as tentacles bounced off his Shield. He winced as he saw an esper get speared by a tentacle, only to hang there, kicking and screaming in pain. He bit back the feeling of dread as he watched countless others get skewered by the enemy Prototype's tentacles. With less people to fight, defeating Ares would be that much harder.

"We've got to help them!" shouted a soldier that was kneeling behind him.

"No!" Siren immediately barked. "Go out there, and you're as good as dead! We need as many people to survive this attack as possible and the ones who have already been impaled are as good as dead!"

"Well what are we supposed to do then?! Just _sit here_?!" shouted the soldier.

"Yes!" Siren roared. "Sit here, keep your head down, survive,_ fight_."

"Those are my frie—" began the soldier, but was cut off by Siren.

"And they'd want you to survive and beat back the Infected! If we lose to Ares here, there'll be only one other person that can stop him, and trust me, they're _not_ on our side!"

He was, of course, referring to Ares' former superior, whose identity had yet to be revealed to them by Ares. Siren was pulled from his thoughts when yet another tentacle slammed into his Shield, pushing him back a few inches and causing the people behind him to yelp and scramble back slightly. Siren gritted his teeth and held his ground.

_We don't have the luxury of losing here. If Ares wins, this city may very well be the first to fall, followed by countless others. His armies and his power will grow, all while his former superior hunts him down. There'll be a war between the two factions of Infected, and humanity will be caught in the crossfire…_

Suddenly, he noticed the tentacles that had shot in every direction past him slow down until they stopped moving entirely. He blinked when they slowly began retracting, pulling along countless struggling soldiers and espers. Before he could react, the tentacles went from slowly retracting to snapping back to Ares in less than a second, and by the time Siren lowered his Shield, Ares was already covered in masses of tentacles as he consumed those unfortunate enough to be caught by him.

Siren's eyes narrowed and, while ignoring the sound of someone vomiting behind him, he launched himself at Ares. With the other Prototype busy consuming his victims, Siren figured now was his best opportunity to attack. A Blade formed on his right arm and he jumped slightly, bringing the Blade over his left shoulder before swiping it in a diagonal arc, aiming at Ares' form.

Siren was stopped dead in his tracks as an arm shot out of the mass of tentacles, catching his Blade, despite the fact that it cut deep into the limb. The tentacles slowly began settling and Siren could make out Ares' glowing red eyes as the enemy Prototype glared at him. "Won't…be defeated…by _humans_," hissed the Prototype. Siren was forced to jump backwards as Ares swiped at him with a Claw that had formed on his free arm.

The shape shifter's Armor had disappeared, but that didn't make him any less dangerous. In fact, now that he was desperate, he'd more than likely fight with more ferocity, and he was still in the form he assumed after consuming Clara and the elite Infected. He was, essentially;

"A cornered animal," Siren muttered.

"Y-you…"

Siren paused as an unfamiliar voice spoke up. He turned to his right to find a female soldier staring at Ares with wide eyes and her mouth agape. Slowly, her face twisted in fury and her lips pulled back in a snarl.

"YOU BASTARD!" With that, she jumped out of cover, pointing her weapon at Ares and pulling the trigger. The bullets entered the Prototype's body and, much to Siren's surprise, no Armor came up to defend Ares. Instead, he turned to the woman and stuck out his hand, his palm facing her.

With speed that Siren knew he couldn't beat, Ares' arm transformed as he activated his Tendrils power. This was followed by several tendrils shooing out of Ares' hand towards the woman, the tips ready to impale her. Siren acted quickly, kicking the woman to the ground, and though it elicited a shout of pain from her, it prevented her from dying as the tendrils passed her.

Her actions acted as a trigger of sorts, causing other soldiers and espers to jump out of cover, screaming in outrage at their friends' deaths at the hands—or tentacles—of Ares. Siren spotted Rika leaping over an esper as she charged at Ares, and he also noticed Mikoto rising from behind a pile of rubble.

_Good, they're both alive. _

A familiar scenario played out; espers and soldiers alike attacked Ares. However, his response was what had changed. Without his Armor slowing him down, Ares shot out of the circle of soldiers and espers in the blink of an eye, turning mid jump and swinging a Whipfist that he had formed faster than Siren could follow.

The weapon cut clean through two soldiers and severely wounded a third by ripping through his leg. By the time Ares' feet had hit the ground, he had already dashed to a new position, his tentacles emanating a strange, orange-yellow glow as mist of the same color rose from him.

If Anti-Skill was intimidated by Ares' new speed, they didn't show it. Perhaps, the fact that he was less defended contributed to their lack of fear—or at least, their appearance of lacking fear. But the question remained; why did Ares discard his Armor? The question would remain unanswered, as Ares lifted a pair of Hammerfists over his head and slammed them down on the ground, causing dozens of spikes to emerge from the ground around him.

Several more fighters fell at Ares' hand, and Siren quickly snapped back into reality, quickly making his way over to where Ares was. His hands transformed into Claws and suddenly, Siren was leaping through the air, Claws fanned out as he descended upon Ares. The enemy Prototype noticed his approach and reacted by jerking his arm forwards, sending the Whipfist rocketing at Siren.

Because of his momentum, the younger Prototype found himself unable to dodge, resulting in the Whipfist shooting through his midsection, throwing his pounce off balance. However, in the moment Ares took to focus on Siren, several bullets met his flesh. The bullets themselves passed right through him with little effect, but the chemicals that coated them burned the Alex look-alike, causing him to grunt in annoyance.

Ares' free hand formed a Shield as he blocked a blast of fire from a young esper. Meanwhile, he swung his Whipfist over his head in a circle, spinning a struggling Siren around in the air before throwing him off to the side. Rika charged past Siren's form as he struggled to his feet, her feet leaving cracks in the ground from the force behind her steps. She delivered a spinning kick that should have connected with Ares' side, but much to her annoyance, the Prototype used his new speed to dash out of the way.

Before Rika could react, Ares had moved passed her and had set his sights on the Anti-Skill soldiers and espers. And before _they_ could react, Ares was upon them, using his Blade and a single Claw to cut through them. Rika gritted her teeth and rushed over, intent on separating Ares from her allies before he could cut them all down.

She paused and smirked as Mikoto's chainsaw-like sword cut through Ares' limb when he failed to pay attention for a moment. However, that smirk vanished when she realized that there was very little standing between Ares and Mikoto at that moment.

"Shit," Rika hissed as Ares charged at Mikoto. She took off after Ares, trying to catch up to him before he could kill Mikoto. To her credit, the esper stood her ground and sent a blast of electricity at the approaching Prototype. Predictably, he dodged with ease, using his newfound speed to avoid the blast. Mikoto continued her attack by whirling her sword around her, using it as a tool to keep Ares at bay. If she could cut him when he wore his Armor, then she could cut him without it.

The Prototype hesitated and paused during his charge at the esper. After a split second of consideration, he launched himself into the air, both his arms transforming into Hammerfists. Rika pushed her legs to the limit, trying to reach Mikoto before Ares could complete his attack. As Ares lifted both his mutated limbs over his head and dove to the ground, Rika tackled Mikoto, sending both of them tumbling away from Ares as he landed. The girls yelped as spikes rose from the ground around Ares, and Rika did the only thing she could think of: she threw Mikoto as gently as she could while still getting her out of the range of the spikes.

Mikoto landed safely outside of Ares' reach. Rika, however, didn't fare so well; some of the spikes that erupted from the ground ripped right through her, lifting her a few meters into the air. She grunted and struggled, attempting to dislodge herself from the spikes that had torn through her chest. The efforts proved pointless, seeing as Ares retracted the spikes of his own accord, causing Rika to fall back to the ground with little more than several massive holes in her chest and stomach.

The injuries were already healing as Rika sprang to her feet, already prepared to take on Ares again, but by the time she focused on him, he was already pouncing at another soldier, grabbing the man by the neck and consuming him by literally ripping him in half, much to her disgust.

"Bring it, ya piece of shit!" roared a soldier as he fearlessly approached Ares, emptying his magazine into the Prototype's head and chest. "Run for it!" he shouted to his comrades and the espers who were unfortunate enough to be near Ares at the moment. They hesitated, but ultimately moved away, shortly before Ares killed and consumed the man who had used himself as a diversion to allow his friends to escape.

She ran at Ares, spotting Siren doing the same from the corner of her eye. The two made their way over to their enemy as fast as they could, both striking at nearly the same time—Rika with her fists and Siren with his Claws. Ares, however, had seen them approach and had prepared. He met them both head on, blocking, dodging, and counterattacking to the best of his abilities, which exceeded those of both Siren and Rika. The two found themselves slowly being pushed back by Ares' relentless attacks until they were finally forced to completely retreat to avoid being consumed.

Bullets flew past them at Ares as they attempted to put distance between themselves and the enemy Prototype. It wasn't long before Ares turned around and charged at what soldiers and espers remained, using his Whipfist to pick them off before he even reached them. Siren gritted his teeth and whirled around once more.

"Crap, help them!" he barked at Rika as the two sprinted to try and save the soldiers and espers from Ares. Without his Armor, Ares was actually more effective at dispatching what remained of their allies. Against Siren and Rika, the Armor was a big help—it made many of their attacks utterly useless. But against Anti-Skill, who possessed bullets that could burn the Armor regardless, speed had become Ares' best friend.

And it was allowing him to rip through the soldiers and espers with murderous ease. By the time they were close enough to accurately attack him, he had already killed at least four soldiers and two espers, both of which he consumed. Siren struck with his own Whipfist, grabbing Ares' attention just before he could crush a soldier underfoot.

Rika had already closed the distance between herself and Ares, landing a kick on his shoulder before he could react. Even with his speed, dividing his attention between two targets made Ares just slow enough for them to attack. Rika's victory was short lived, however, as Ares' hand shot out, his blade-like fingers wrapping around Rika's ankle. The girl gave a yelp as she was lifted up and slammed into the ground repeatedly.

_Siren?! Where the fuck are you?!_

Her answer came in the form of a red and black Hammerfist entering her vision temporarily as it sailed towards Ares' head. The next thing she knew, she was no longer being slammed into the ground repeatedly as Ares' hands hot up to block the Hammerfist. Despite his speed, he was unable to form a proper defense in time, resulting in Siren's attack slamming into him and connecting directly with his face.

The moment the fingers around her ankle unwrapped, Rika dove out of the way, quickly scrambling to her feet and turning to face Ares. She was greeted with the sight of him bending back at an awkward angle under Siren's weight. The next thing she noticed was Mikoto approaching behind Ares with her sword drawn. Mikoto's eyes narrowed in concentration as she ran up behind Ares, who was preoccupied with Siren, and drove her sword through the enemy Prototype's chest.

Siren grinned as Ares' eyes widened. He whirled around in the air, bringing his foot across Ares' cheek. The Alex look-alike was sent bouncing across the street, landing with a satisfying crash against an abandoned vehicle. The remaining soldiers and espers quickly jumped up from behind whatever cover they were using and pointed their weapons and hands at Ares. What followed next was a storm of bullets and blasts of energy as everyone who could shot Ares with all they had.

Before he could even use his superior speed to move out of the way, Ares was already taking fire. Fast as he was, he couldn't outrun bullets, especially not when he was trying to get to his feet after taking an attack. To the satisfaction of the soldiers and espers, their projectiles connected, wounding Ares for half a second before he was able to recover and move.

He may not have been able to outrun bullets, but he could move faster than the soldiers could swing their guns around to face him. The espers fared slightly better, but ultimately, Ares' speed simply proved to be too much for them to handle. The Prototype had dashed away from the vehicle he had been propped up against, and before anyone could react, he was throwing his Hammerfist forward, putting the weight of his entire body behind the attack as he let the momentum carry him through the air.

His landing devastated a large group of espers and soldiers who had subconsciously moved closer to each other for protection. When he hit the ground, he had generated enough force to at least knock the surrounding soldiers and espers down, giving Ares an opportunity to strike again. The two solders that had been unfortunate enough to get caught directly beneath his Hammerfist were crushed to death instantly, their bodies buckling and giving out under Ares' weight.

Mikoto had been dangerously close to the area of impact and found herself being throw off her feet by Ares' attack. When she scrambled to her feet, she could only watch in horror as Ares lifted his leg, brutally stomping down on the head of a young esper. In his arm was yet another esper—a teenage boy with hair that reminded her of Touma. For a split second, she thought it was him, but the moment she saw his face and eyes, she knew it wasn't the oblivious, unlucky boy that she had come to know.

"Fuck you!" roared the esper as he kicked at Ares with all his might. The action did absolutely nothing to harm Ares, and before Mikoto could intervene, the Prototype placed a Claw on top of the boy's head, crushing it almost instantly. Mikoto felt her fists clenching and her lips pulling back in a snarl as she rose to her feet. She hadn't noticed Siren and Rika approaching, desperately trying to reach them.

Her fury blinding her, she charged forward, gracefully whipping her sword through the air and allowing it to extend and reach out at Ares, directly for his head. The Prototype barely managed to dodge her attack, and before she knew it, Ares was charging at her, his own Blade forming on his arm.

Siren jumped into her field of view, grabbing onto Ares with his Musclemass-reinforced arms. However, the older Prototype was having none of that. He threw Siren off and continued his sprint towards Mikoto. The electric esper raised her sword over her head and swung it in a downward arc at Ares, the weapon extending at her will.

Ares, however, was prepared. He brought up his Shield, allowing the sword to dig into it before spinning around, redirecting the weapon away from his body and simultaneously reaching out with his foot, which briefly connected with Mikoto's hand.

That contact alone would cost her dearly.

The strength of the Prototype was beyond anything her body could withstand, and even with just the brief contact between her hand and his foot, Ares still managed to hurt her hand, _severely_. Mikoto yelped as her hand was brutally snapped to the side, her sword dropping from her fingers. She allowed herself to spin along with the momentum created by Ares' kick, but before she could get out of his reach, she felt his arm grabbing her by the back of her shirt.

He dragged her back, throwing her on the ground and raising his Blade over his head. "Die," he hissed, his voice filled with fury and hatred that Mikoto didn't think was possible. She raised her hand to blast Ares, but it was too late. The Blade was descending at a rate faster than she could shoot him. Time seemed to slow, and then…

A hand shoved her aside, sending her tumbling for a few feet. Mikoto grunted as her face made contact with the street, her own head crushing her nose. She whirled around to her face Ares, her vision slightly blurry and her nose bleeding. But even with her blurred vision, she could see it: Rika stood before Ares, a shocked expression on her face. Her right arm was lying on the ground beside her, periodically twitching.

Ares' face mirrored Rika's, his confusion evident. However, he reacted far faster than Rika. Before the girl could move, Ares droved his Blade through her chest, lifting her off the ground with ease. It was at that point that Rika must have realized what was happening. Her face twisted in a mix of pain and fear, and she began struggling as though her life depended on it—which was very likely the case.

Mikoto was rising to her feet, her hand reaching out to Rika even as Siren came running. For the first time, Mikoto could make out genuine fear and panic in Siren's eyes. Pure, unrestrained panic. Ares ripped his Blade through Rika's side, cutting her other arm in the process. The limb wasn't severed, but it was very close to being so—so close that it had become useless to Rika, as the muscles were torn and refused to respond.

Mikoto's mouth opened as a scream escaped her lips. Once again, time itself seemed to slow as Ares raised his Blade above Rika's head and brought it down with all his strength, cutting through her in a single swift movement. Tentacles shot out of his body, grabbing onto Rika before she could crumble to the ground.

Her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide and teary, Mikoto watched as Rika was consumed by the creature that looked like an exact copy of the person the girl had hated the most in her life.

Mikoto watched as Rika died.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Rika's Death: Did that seem random? Did you see it coming? (Seriously though, tell me if you saw it coming). No? Good. On one hand, it does seem like it comes out of left field, but on the other hand, death is often sudden in real life, so making it obvious that she would die would have been dumb. **

**A/N: One main character down…several more to go…or no more to go…who knows?**


	47. Chapter 47

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**GUEST: I agree with you when you say that Touma would be infuriated upon seeing Rika die. I also agree with you on the issue of his response. I wouldn't be surprised if he rushed out to help, but rage and experience in street fighting aren't enough to make up for a difference in power. Look at Heller's first encounter with Mercer in Prototype 2; Heller despised Mercer for killing his family, and he had military training to back up that rage. And yet, Mercer toyed with him and smacked him around like it was nothing. However, your suggestions have given me an idea…**

**lOGANVICTOR: Yeah, I kinda am. Fun fact though; when Kuroko got slapped by that Hunter, I considered killing her right then and there. The heroes' luck needs to run out eventually.**

**THAQIF: Yeah, an OC dying doesn't have as much impact as a character that was already established. Also, I read your response to Rika's death and I have a question; are you angry that I killed her, or are you angry with the way I did it? Your feedback is appreciated. **

**Chapter 47**

**An Esper's Wrath**

Mikoto stared in stunned silence, unable to accept what had just happened. One minute, Rika had been there, fighting alongside them, planning with them, living with them. One second, she had been there, pushing Mikoto out of Ares' way to save her life.

And the next, she was gone.

The world slowly blurred as her eyes failed to focus on anything except what lay directly before her: Ares. He was slowly rising to his feet, tentacles retracting into his body as what remained of Rika was irreversibly merged with his being. Mikoto's fists slowly clenched even as bullets flew past her at what felt like a snail's pace.

Ares now knew everything Rika had known. All her memories, her feelings, they were _his _now. At that moment, the realization truly began to hit Mikoto. The number of people—_innocent_ people—who had died and were consumed by Ares and his Evolved must have been massive by this point. The lack of personal relationships with those people may have numbed the rage, but now, now that someone she knew, someone she talked to regularly, was gone, Mikoto truly began to feel the pain that the Infected had caused.

Her lips began pulling back and her eyes widening as her head hung low. Anti-Skill soldiers had died. Espers had died. _Rika_ had just died. Their memories, their feelings, their hopes, their dreams; _all _of what made them who they were was now a part of someone else.

Someone who stole it from them by force.

A choked gasp of fury escaped her lips as her eyes settled on Ares.

***Page Break***

Siren was blown away. Literally.

Before he could have even processed what had happened, the world exploded into nothing but blue. Lighting filled the air, shoving away anyone who was too close. As he was flung through the air, he noticed several soldiers and espers ducking behind whatever cover they could find, shouting in confusion.

Siren grunted as he slammed into the ground, tumbling across the street before digging his fingers into the ground, forcing himself to a halt. His eyes snapped up in a mix of confusion and dread, silently praying that the electricity was coming from Mikoto, and not a new enemy. He was greeted to the sight of a large, black tornado of what he assumed was black sand swirling in the middle of a massive crater.

_No…not black sand…iron sand…._

In the middle of the tornado, he saw her; Mikoto, sanding there in her full power, electricity dancing around her while the tornado furiously spun on. Her hair was lifted by the wind generated by the tornado and her eyes were practically glowing with power. He could see the look of pure, unrestrained rage on her face, and he felt himself swallowing.

_Come on Mikoto…harness that rage and direct it at Ares…_

He had figured out that an angry Mikoto was a powerful Mikoto. And right now, they needed power. He crouched down on the ground, focusing on Mikoto and Ares, all while wondering how to intervene. With Rika gone, not only had they lost the only other person capable of battling Ares in close quarters combat, but Ares had also become more powerful with his consumption of Rika.

He bit his lower lip, knowing that running in headfirst would get him killed. His powers alone weren't enough. He gritted his teeth while he watched, desperately trying to think of a way to help in the upcoming battle. With Mikoto deep in her fit of rage, he wouldn't be able to properly reason with her—nor did he want to, for fear of calming her down. If she stayed angry and proved to have enough power, she may be their best, if not their only chance of killing Ares.

_I'll have to base my attacks around Mikoto's fighting style; time my attacks in coordination with hers and distract Ares in case she needs him off her back. _

Bullets and energy projectiles flew past him at Ares. There were very few, if any, soldiers and espers left on the field of battle. Ares had simply cut through the majority of the soldiers while consuming as many espers as he could, leaving very few survivors. The tables were turning once more, and this time, the odds may have been in Ares' favo—

The tornado lurched forwards. Siren's eyes widened as the massive storm of iron sand suddenly moved, tendrils of the metallic particles reaching out towards Ares. Contact was avoided, however, as Ares leapt out of the way, eyes widening at the display of power. Siren inhaled sharply as he realized how he could help.

Jumping to his feet, he sprinted forward towards Ares. He winced from the deafening roar produced by Mikoto as she fired a steady stream of electricity at Ares, utterly demolishing whatever she hit. The enemy Prototype's only choice at this point must have been to dodge until he could figure out a way to get at Mikoto without having his body torn apart by the whirlwind of iron sand.

A Whipfist formed on Siren's arm as he neared Ares. Lips pulling back in a snarl, he jerked his arm back before swinging it forwards, willing his weapon to extend as it rocketed towards Ares. The Prototype had been too busy to notice Siren's approach, resulting in the Whipfist plunging into his lower back. Ares grunted as Siren yanked him down to the ground, holding him their temporarily. Before either of them could react, Mikoto's storm of iron sand reached out once more, engulfing Ares in a split second. Siren watched as Ares was lifted off the ground by the electric esper's power. He hissed as he felt the portion of his Whipfist that was caught in the attack get shredded by the storm of iron sand.

Eventually, the Whipfist itself was cut, quickly retracting to Siren's arm. His eyes narrowed when he saw the torn flesh and metallic chain that made up his Whipfist and its damaged state. He could only imagine what Ares was going through up there. The Prototype in question was still trapped within Mikoto's tornado of iron sand, and all Siren could do at that moment was watch and hope that Mikoto would be enough to severely harm Ares.

He blinked when the tornado spit Ares out. The enemy Prototype looked like he had just gone through a meat grinder. Every square inch of his body was ripped and torn in some way, and his arms had been reduced to large chunks of flesh handing from his shoulders. Most of his face was just…gone, ripped apart by Mikoto's attack.

Ares bounced across the street several times before crashing against a car. Tendrils of iron sand were already snaking over to him, and Siren knew that whatever power Ares may have obtained from consuming Rika was now being stripped away by Mikoto's attacks. The healing he had received had been all but undone, his current condition being far worse than what he was prior to consuming the dark-haired girl.

Siren was already sprinting over to Ares' position, readying his Whipfist. The tendrils of iron sand that were reaching out towards Ares were far ahead of him, quickly nearing the Prototype as he struggled to his feet. Ares dove out of the way as the clouds of iron sand slammed into the spot where he had been lying only a second ago. His body was beginning to heal, though very slowly. The damage Mikoto caused must have been greater than he had expected.

Siren launched his Whipfist forwards at Ares, who turned to look at it just in time to see it sink into his chest. His eyes widening in panic, Ares looked up as the clouds of iron sand engulfed him once more, ripping him apart with the fury of a certain level 5 esper. Siren watched in fascination before turning back to glance at Mikoto.

The electric esper had her hands clasped out in front of her with lighting dancing around her fingers. The girl's face was a mask of absolute fury, and Siren found himself reevaluating his view of humanity. He had always envisioned himself as an apex predator among them, devouring whomever he pleased. But now…now he was beginning to realize that the espers were a much greater danger to his safety than he had previously assumed.

_Given enough time…these espers will surpass even the Prototypes. Until then, it's up to us to rid the world of the other two Prototypes so that the espers will be able to fight back against the Infected._

He turned back to Ares, who was now on his knees, gasping for air. He was literally full of holes, the remainders of his body barely holding together. What remained was a twisted, walking corpse of a man. The clouds of iron sand retracted slightly, and Siren jerked in surprise when Mikoto spoke.

"Do it," she commanded. "Consume him and finish this before I lose what little sense of reason I have left and kill him myself." Siren didn't argue, opting to simply step forward and approach Ares. The enemy Prototype's mouth opened and a thick, blood-like black substance dripped out, pooling on the street around his feet. Siren didn't bother stopping or wondering what it was—he'd soon have Ares' memories and…he'd soon understand what his connection to Alex Mercer was.

Suddenly, Ares looked up, placing one hand on the Whipfist that was still buried in his chest. His grip tightened around it, his own hand ripping and tearing as he gritted his teeth, eyes shutting tight. Siren made the mistake of pausing in confusion, only to inhale sharply as he watched tentacles writhe around Ares' body.

Ares grinned at him, the black blood-like substance pouring out past his teeth. "S-s-surprise," he slowly choked out. Sire's eyes widened as tentacles shot from Ares' body in every direction _again_. Due to his close proximity, at least six of them ripped through his chest, sending him flying into the air as the fleshy appendages lifted him off his feet. He could see several of them rush at Mikoto, only to be intercepted by the clouds of iron sand.

Then, in what was probably the most unfortunate fluke he had ever experienced, Siren watched as a single tendril made it through the clouds, slamming into Mikoto's face. Its momentum was severely cut by the iron sand, but it still had enough force to send Mikoto flying backwards, straight into a car.

Her head slammed into the car's door, and the girl crumpled to the ground, her chest faintly rising and falling while blood poured down the side of her face. Siren's eyes widened when he felt what he could only describe as the worse pain of his life. The tendrils that had shot through his chest were slowly retracting, ripping through him and pulling along as much biomass as they could—which was still very little.

Siren could practically feel the energy leaving him along with the tendrils before he was dropped to the ground, grunting as he slammed into the street. The majority of his body now resembled Ares' mangled form. Slowly, Siren's body went to work healing, but when he looked up, he saw Ares stumbling away, hand pressed against the wall of a building to steady himself.

"N-no," Siren croaked, his voice barely audible due to the hole in his throat. He glanced around him, only to find that the remaining espers and soldiers were either dead or severely injured as they tried to stand. He looked back at Ares as the Prototype stumbled away, not even glancing back at them.

His body was healing too slowly. Ares had enough strength to walk now. Siren didn't. Ares made sure of that, and now, now he was getting away. Siren gritted his teeth.

"No..."

***Page Break***

Ares was beyond furious. The chance to consume Mercer was gone, having slipped through his fingertips. The healing provided by consuming Rika had been completely cancelled out by the electric esper, and to top it all off, he was only alive because of the rush of adrenaline that came when he was so close to death.

He was only alive because of a fluke, a single Devastator that had become available to him in his moment of desperation.

And now he was running—or retreating, seeing as he could no longer run until his body had properly healed. "The fucking esper," he hissed. "If it weren't for her, I'd have been able to finish Merc—" He froze as a thought came to mind. Slowly turning, he spotted her; the esper that had ruined everything with her lighting and her iron sand.

She was just lying there, unconscious after he had managed to score a lucky hit. Slowly, a grin spread across his face as he changed direction, heading towards the downed girl. Meanwhile, Siren blinked in surprise when he saw Ares changing his course. His eyes followed Ares' line of sight until he spotted Ares' target.

Realization dawned upon him as he realized what Ares was about to do. Siren desperately tried to crawl to his feet, but the damage from Ares' Devastator was beyond severe. His body was healing, but too slowly. He was stressed, anxious, and panicking—all factors that slowed his body's rate of healing. Ares was slowly approaching Mikoto, stumbling and hobbling with a limp as his body slowly repaired the horrific damage Mikoto had inflicted upon him.

_Son of a bitch._

"Mikoto…"

_Son of a bitch!_

"Mikoto!" he roared as loud as he could, which wasn't very loud. "Mikoto! Get your ass up! Ares is going to consume you if you don't!"

It didn't work. Mikoto wasn't waking up. He expected it to fail, but a desperate part of him dared to hope that the girl would open her eyes and hold Ares off. But it didn't happen. She laid there, her chest slowly rising and falling as Ares approached.

"MIKOTO!"

Ares had been ignoring the younger Prototype's desperate shouts, all while shaking his head in disapproval. "How the mighty have fallen," he muttered while glancing at Siren. "Wait your turn, Mercer. I'll be strong enough to consume you after this one's gone. Then…then I'll be strong enough to take _him_ on."

Ares stopped as he reached Mikoto, his shadow falling upon her. The steady rise and fall of her chest was an insult to his existence. This human—this _child_—had defied him, humiliated him, _hurt _him; she could not live to tell the tale. He wouldn't permit it. He refused to permit it! His reached out, taking note of all the holes in his arm. The appendage barely moved, and when it did, it moved at a snail's pace.

His fingers slowly closed around the esper's throat, slowly lifting her off the ground until she was level with him. He drew his other hand back, attempting to form a pair of Claws. He failed. He simply didn't have the strength to do it—not after the girl's attacks and especially not after putting everything he had into that final Devastator.

_Old fashion way it is then._

His fingers curled into a ball as he made a fist. His hand shook with rage, anticipation, and the realization that it was almost over. That he was mere _seconds_ away from achieving the strength he needed to at least consume Mercer in his current state.

"**Die**," he hissed, the voices of countless previous victims mixing with his own and creating a twisted chorus. His fist flew forwards with all the strength he could muster, but before it could connect, _centimeters before it could connect_, it stopped. Ares blinked in surprise, glancing over his shoulder to find that someone was holding onto his arm, pulling it back as he attempted to bury it in the girl's stomach.

His eyes settled on a teenage boy with the strangest head of spiky hair that he had ever seen. "Hey," said the teen in an almost casual manner. "Name's Touma."

His free hand balled into a fist.

"Touma KAMIJOU!" he roared as he brought the fist forward with all the strength a teenage body could muster.

Meanwhile, from his position on the ground, Siren's jaw dropped as he watched Touma—_Touma fucking Kamijou_—punch Ares, knocking him to the ground.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Ares' Final Devastator: In [Prototype], there was a perk that granted Alex access to a single free Devastator when his health was very low. This was basically the same thing, though it borrows from the Supreme Hunter's Devastator, which would tear through the player during the final battle, causing massive damage. Ares, being that much stronger than the Supreme Hunter, could cause that much more damage.**

** Slow Healing: Videogame logic 101: health regenerates infinitely faster outside of combat. Put that into more realistic terms, and one can come to the conclusion that healing is faster during a less stressful situation. If I remember correctly, [Prototype]/Prototype 2 followed a similar set of rules with the earlier perks in the game. **

** Touma Kamijou: I've been getting requests to put him into the spotlight, and due to recent suggestions from a particular Guest and from rewatching the fight between Touma and Accelerator, I think I figured out a decent way to give Touma a little time as the protagonist. **


	48. Chapter 48

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**GUEST: Yeah, Touma's finally getting some deserved screen time. Anyway, I looked through some of Touma's history, and I can't find anything about glowing eyes. I'm not going to suddenly give him an unnatural glow that he never had before without explanation, so the best I can do would probably be the **_**illusion**_** that his eyes are glowing. **

**OTHER GUEST: I've seen bits and pieces of it, but not the whole series. I never really noticed a change in the animation quality, but I'll take your word for it. **

**MYTHFAN: Glad to hear that.**

**GOMT8: Thank you for the compliment. Anyway, if you want to know how Touma could possibly last against Ares, all you have to do is read this chapter. I won't spoil anything up here, but I will say that, in this story, a weakened Prototype like Ares (who's barely holding together right now) is NOTHING like the Hulk (meaning they're not nearly as strong as he would be). And yes, I know that Touma's Imagine Breaker doesn't work on the Infected. As for your suggestions; I haven't seen One Punch Man, though it seems to be popular from what little I've seen of the anime world in the past month or two. I may check it out, but it may be a while before I actually write a crossover using characters from that anime, if I ever decide to do so. Thank you for the suggestions though, I appreciate it. Also, one of the guests left you a message in the review section. Makes sure to check it out. **

**Chapter 48**

**A Certain Level 0**

Touma's fist stung as he watched Ares drop to the ground, relinquishing his grip on Mikoto's throat. Touma dashed forwards, grabbing the girl before she could hit the ground and setting her aside, behind a small pile of metal to put a little more distance between her and Ares. He turned back to Ares, who was slowly pulling himself up off the ground.

"Touma!" Mikoro's voice roared, emanating from the earpiece he had stolen. "What in the fuck are you doing out there?!"

Touma winced. He had expected to get yelled at for sneaking off when the others weren't looking. However, he quickly regained his composure. "I came to help."

"Against Ar—?!"

"Yes against Ares! Mikoto, _Rika's dead_! Ares just _consumed _her! I'm not going to sit around any longer and watch as he kills anyone else, and I'm definitely not going to sit here and let him consume Biri-Biri!" Touma shouted from a mix of determination and anger—anger at the twisted creature that had eaten his friend.

"Damn it, Touma!" Mikoro shouted in his ear. "I'm calling Kuroko to come get you—"

"No," interrupted Aleister, much to their surprise. "She can barely walk—you had to put her in a wheelchair and push her around to help spread the word of the situation and to convince the soldiers earlier, remember? We can't keep throwing her around like this. Besides…"

Touma felt as if Aleister was turning to him, even though they were communicating through earpieces. "Siren is down, Mikoto is unconscious and Ares was milliseconds away from consuming her. Someone needs to stand in Ares' way and prevent him from—"

Touma stopped paying attention when he noticed Ares was on his feet, glaring pointedly at him. "Lasssst mistake," growled the Prototype, his voice twisted and strained from all the damage he had sustained. Touma narrowed his eyes at Ares, watching him intently as the Prototype stood there, swaying unsteadily.

A smirk found its way to Touma's face. "I don't think so," he said confidently, catching Ares off guard. "I've spent enough time around Siren and watching you two through the cameras to know how you Prototypes tend to fight. You rely on your strength, your speed, and your knowledge from stolen memories to carry you through a fight. Without that strength and speed, all you have is the stolen memories, but what good are they if your body can't keep up?"

He raised his fists in front of him. "I should thank Biri-Biri. By damaging you so much, she created an opening. And since Siren can't do anything about it right now, _I will_. You're done, Ares." Touma stepped forward, using his left arm to throw a punch at the Prototype's face. Ares twisted, putting his shoulder in front of Touma's fist. Despite how damaged he was, Ares still blocked Touma's punch, using his superior body weight to hold back the punch.

Touma's eyes widened as Ares twisted his body again, putting momentum behind his free arm which he swung at Touma's side. The fist connected with Touma's right elbow, causing Touma to grit his teeth and jump to the side.

"Touma," Mikoro snapped. "He's weakened but he's not _dead_. He'll still put up a fight and he still has the knowledge of how to do it! You're underestimating him!"

Touma was forced to duck under a clumsy punch thrown at his head. However, the moment he did so, he found a knee rapidly approaching his face. Eyes widening, he rolled to the side, kicking out with his leg at Ares' feet. His foot caught Ares by the knee, and while the kick knocked the severely weakened Prototype back, he didn't fall.

He did, however, stumble, giving Touma the opportunity he needed to scramble to his feet and step back, eyeing his enemy. "The hell?" he muttered. "This guy could barely lift his arm to grab Biri-Biri a few moments ago. How is he still capable of fighting?"

"I would assume," Aleister cut in. "That adrenaline is fueling him, giving him strength. Desperation and sheer will to survive may also be a factor. That and he might simply be horrified at the idea of being killed by a human, and would rather die by the hands of one of his kind. The rage may be forcing him to push his body past its limits at the moment. Not to mention he's slowly healing."

_Great. As if he wasn't dangerous enough…_

Touma was forced to tune Aleister out as Ares stepped forward. Touma reacted instantly, lashing out with several quick punches. Ares, despite his wounded state, managed to dodge most of the punches while blocking one of them. The final punch, however, clipped his jaw, causing his head to snap to the side at a weird angle. Touma followed up with a kick to the Prototype's midsection, causing him to grunt in discomfort.

Before Touma could react, a hand grabbed him by the arm, the strength of the grip surpassing his own. Before he knew it, Touma found himself doubling over as a fist connected with his stomach. A thin trail of spit hung from his slightly parted lips as his eyes widened. An elbow hit his back, the force of the blow being painful, but not powerful enough to be lethal.

Touma regained control of himself and spun around, blindly lashing out. Because Ares was so close, Touma managed to land a few hits, forcing the older fighter to back off while Touma greedily sucked in the air his lungs had been robbed of. His fists clenched and he turned back to Ares, panting slightly.

_Ok…clearly not as weak as I had hoped. This guy's memories must have some information on military training and how to fight in close quarters combat. _

"Touma," Mikoro began. "You don't necessarily have to beat him. Either force him to use up all his remaining energy until he collapses, or hold him off until Siren can consume him. But don't forget that Ares' body is still healing itself—slowly, but surely. If you drag the fight out too long, he'll regain enough strength to start knocking you around. He'll kill you."

Touma swallowed the lump in his throat. "Yeah, I'll…I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

_Well this just keeps on getting better and better, doesn't it? Such misfortune…_

Ares twisted his head to look at Touma, giving the teen an emotionless, wide-eyed stare, causing the unfortunate teen's hand to twitch and sweat to build up on his forehead. "You know this is pointless," he told him, his voice unchanging throughout the entire sentence. "What makes you think you can succeed where Siren, Mikoto, and the others failed? Touma, you can't seriously believe you can win this."

Ares leaned forwards, offering Touma a small smile. "Rika knew your abilities. She took a little time out of her life to study you in case you turned out to be an enemy. Your Imagine Breaker won't work on me."

Touma's fists clenched at the mention of Rika. "He's stalling for time," Mikoro hissed in his ear. "He's trying to give his body as many chances to heal as he can! Don't let him get to you like this!"

Touma's lips pulled back in a snarl as he growled at Ares. "You don't have the right to talk about Rika like that—using her to stall for time. You cut her down, murdering her without a second thought…you don't have the right…" He pulled his fist back as he stepped forwards.

"TO TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!" Touma rushed forwards throwing a wild punch at Ares. The Prototype dodged the incoming attack by snapping his head to the side. He reached out with his right arm, grabbing at Touma's hand. His fingers closed around the teen's fist, only for Touma's other hand to slam into his midsection. Eyes widening at the sudden attack, Ares stepped back an inch or two, but suddenly found himself kneeling as Touma's foot connected with the back of his knee, forcing his leg to bend.

He blinked in confusion at the human's attacks before coming to his senses and holding up his free arm, blocking an attack aimed at his face. His body was healing, he could feel it, and soon, he'd be able to crush the human teenager like an insect, leaving him as nothing more than a bad memory.

Touma jumped back with a yelp when Ares lashed out with his arm, narrowly missing the boy's legs. Touma's eyes narrowed as the Prototype scrambled to his feet, though at a noticeably slower pace. Touma was already moving by the time Ares was up, turning on his heel and attempting to deliver a roundhouse kick. Unfortunately, the Prototype had the sense to drop back to the ground before rolling away on his side.

His body was still full of holes, but he was healing at an alarming rate. Sooner or later, he'd reach the point where Touma could no longer fight him off.

_I won't let that happen! This freak comes to Academy City, murders its inhabitants, kills Rika, ALMOST kills Mikoto—he's insane if he thinks I'll let him get away with it!_

Touma roared as he dashed forwards, eyes widening in fury as he drew back his fist in preparation for his hardest punch yet.

***Page Break***

Her fist slammed into the side of the creature's head. She whipped out her pistol, leveling it with the mutant's head as it stumbled backwards. She pulled the trigger without hesitation, twitching slightly as the humanoid's head exploded.

No sooner had she killed one Infected that another had come to take its place. The new one was shorter, fatter, and slower. However, when she shot it in the head, it didn't die immediately. Eyes narrowing, she pulled the trigger two more times, watching as the creature's dead body fell to the—

She whirled around with a sharp intake of air. She pointed her gun at the new Infected, but a rotting arm slapped away the firearm before she could pull the trigger. She dove to the side to avoid the other arm that had been swung at her face. Rolling to a stop, she tried spotting her weapon, only to be forced to place all her attention on the Infected as it threw itself at her.

She ducked and dove forwards, tackling the creature's legs. It tripped over her and toppled over her small body, quickly scrambling to its feet as it stopped. Gurgling groans and growls emanated from its throat as it turned back to her.

Again, she tried to locate the pistol. Her eyes glanced over the sniper rifle that had been perched on the edge of the rooftop, but she knew she wouldn't be able to properly use it as such close range, and definitely not without attracting attention from the Flyers.

No. Her only weapon was her own body and the silenced pistol she had been told to grab. The majority of the weapons had gone to the soldiers, but since she was to fill the role of a sniper—one who didn't need to deal with swarms of Infected running at her—she was only given a single sidearm.

That and the weapons available hadn't necessarily been abundant. Options were limited, and it was deemed that she had the least need for extra firepower, considering how far she was from actual combat.

She was beginning to regret not pushing for more weapons. The boy fighting Ares wouldn't last forever, and she knew she could help, if only she could line up a shot. Unfortunately, she had been discovered by Infected, and the noise they were making was attracting more and more of them.

She had to deal with them first.

"Do not worry, Touma, Touma Kamijou. Misaka will protect you," muttered the clone.

She paused as one of the Infected began scrambling over to her.

"…as soon as she deals with the Infected," she quickly added.

***Page Break***

Touma ducked under a blow from Ares, eyes narrowing as he clasped his hands together and brought them up with all his strength. His fists slammed into the bottom of Ares' chin, causing the Prototype's head to snap up. Before Ares could react, Touma brought up his foot and drove it into Ares' midsection, forcing the Prototype to stumble backwards.

By the time Ares' head moved back into its position, Touma had already jumped at the Prototype, slamming his shoulder into the older fighter's chest. What he didn't expect, however, was Ares' fingers to wrap around his shoulders as the Prototype was pushed back again. Yelping in confusion, Touma found himself being dragged down as Ares fell to the ground.

The two landed with Touma falling on top, but before he could make use of the position, Ares had already turned to his side, dragging Touma along with him until he had the boy pinned to the ground. He pressed his forearm against Touma's throat, cutting off his air supply.

Touma's eyes widened when he realized that he couldn't breathe. He clawed at the arm against his throat, panic filling him upon noticing that Ares was lifting his free arm for a final blow. Touma's eyes quickly glanced over Ares' arms, noting how damaged they still were from Mikoto's attacks.

His eyes narrowed when he saw what looked to be like a particularly weak spot on the arm that was currently being used to choke him. He raised his right hand and slammed the palm into damaged area, a little above the elbow. To his satisfaction, the limb bent at an awkward angle, unable to support the weight Ares was putting on it. The Prototype grunted in surprise as he suddenly lost balanced, tipping forwards and lifting the weight off the arm that was blocking Touma's air supply.

Touma's mouth opened and he gasped for air. He slammed his palm into Ares once more, only this time, he hit the Prototype in the cheek. Ares was momentarily pushed off him, and Touma was able to scramble away from his grip. He whirled around, facing his opponent once more. The second he saw that Ares was still hauling himself to his feet, Touma charged.

Lifting both hands over his head and clasping them together, he brought his fists down on the Prototype's head, his fury acting as fuel for his attacks. Images of dozens of dead men and women flashed through his mind—all people who he had seen while approaching the battlefield. He remembered the buildings, once bustling with human activity, now vacant and dead, filled only with Infected. He could feel his anger rising as he remembered Rika, and how she was consumed in the blink of an eye as she protected Mikoto.

His hands slammed down upon Ares' head, causing the Prototype to bend over in an awkward manner. Touma's foot flew up and met Ares' face before he could straighten out, forcing him to abruptly bend in the other direction. Ares stepped back, catching himself and spitting to the side.

"You think that your power gives you the right to kill," Touma growled. "You take lives—many of which are _innocent_—all to increase your own strength." His lips pulled back in a snarl. "You've been living in your own delusional world, preying upon those weaker than you, thinking you're that much better than those without power. You've deceiving yourself, weaving your own illusion…"

Touma stepped forwards while Ares stood there, his head hung low as he panted.

"WELL I'LL SHATTER THAT ILLUSION!"

Ares sidestepped.

Touma's eyes widened as his fist sailed past Ares' now-grinning face. Before he could react or stop his body from moving forwards, Touma felt a knee slamming into his stomach, causing his eyes to widen and his mouth to open in a silent scream.

The fight itself came to a screeching halt as Ares placed his hand on Touma's shoulder, gently pushing him back and holding the boy still as he looked into his wide, pain-filled eyes. "Kid, I may be injured, I may be half-dead, and I may be weakened, but," the Prototype paused, leaning closer to Touma. "I've got thousands of year's worth of memories—many of which came from soldiers and the likes. Even while weakened, I still have plenty of combat training to fall back upon in case of emergencies."

Ares gently shook Touma. "You fought well, kid," he began. "But this is the end of the road. You've reached…a dead end."

He knocked Touma to the ground, raising his foot above the boy's chest. "Good bye, Touma. Say hi to Rika for me."

Ares froze as he heard it; the sound of a gunshot. Touma could only watch in confusion as the side of the Prototype's head suddenly exploded in a bloody mess, showering him with dark red blood. The remaining half of Ares' face was painted with confusion, his right—and only—eye widening in shock.

The pain forgotten, Touma suddenly found himself comprehending Ares' previous sentence.

_'Say hi to Rika for me.'_

The words rang through his head, and Touma felt his anger rising to new heights. This _murderer_ had _dared_ to talk about Rika like that?! To insult her memory in that way?!

"Who," Touma began as he stood.

"The fuck," he continued as he rose to his feet, glaring at Ares as his fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms hard enough to draw blood.

"Do you think," he hissed as he stepped forwards, drawing back his right hand.

"YOU ARE?!" Touma roared as he slammed his fist into Ares' face. The Prototype was lifted off his feet as his body flipped backwards, almost entirely. He landed before his entire body could rotate, his head and neck meeting the ground first before his back and legs slammed into the street.

From his new position on the ground, Ares looked up with his one remaining eye at the human standing over him. The sunlight bathed the boy's face in its light, and as it shone on his eyes, it gave the appearance as though his eyes were glowing a red-yellow color.

The eyes were filled with fury the likes of which he had never seen.

Ares' remaining eye slowly began to shut as exhaustion, injury, and overall pain began to overtake him. He could feel unconsciousness wrapping its tendrils around him as his eye slowly shut.

_Defeated by a human…huh, how ironic. Heh, I guess this…this is it. I won't wake up after this. Mercer will consume me, and then…he'll hunt __**him**__. _

Touma watched as Ares' head sunk to the ground for the final time, the viral fighter's one good eye closing as unconsciousness overtook him. Touma looked down at the prone form of his enemy. Never had he felt so infuriated at another being's disrespect and disregard for the lives of those around him.

"He treated the weak like a disposable object, like a resource that could be used and abused," Touma muttered, stepping forwards. "That…I can't let that go unpunished. This guy…"

"Is going to die," said a new voice.

Touma looked up to see Siren, slowly limping towards him as the remainder of his body healed. "…Hey," called the silver-haired fighter. 

Touma gave him a blank stare before looking down at Ares. "This…this is it, huh? You're finally going to consume him. And you're finally going to have all your memories?"

Siren nodded, swallowing audibly as he looked at Ares. "…you did good, Touma," he began. "I didn't think you could fight like that."

Touma blinked, realizing that the silver-haired teen was complementing him. He realized how awkward it must have been for Siren to have had his enemy defeated by someone who he had deemed weaker than himself.

Touma chuckled. "Hurry up before this guy wakes up," he said. "Consume him…and end this."

Siren gave a weak nod before stumbling over to Ares. His eyes narrowed as he lifted his foot above the Prototype's face. "Here goes nothing," he muttered. Suddenly, he brought his foot down with a roar, slamming his foot into what remained of Ares' face.

Tentacles leapt from Siren's body, wrapping around Ares and lifting him off the ground as Siren consumed him.

Touma gulped as he watched Siren Mercer consume Ares, the Supreme Regurgitator.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Touma vs. Ares: I kinda wanted to make the fight longer to give Touma more time up front, but let's be honest; how long can I drag out a fight between the two? Siren is healing in the back, getting ready to jump in and help, and Ares is healing during the fight, getting ready to finish Touma. Besides, how many of you guys really wanted to see Ares hanging around for that much longer? Probably not a lot. In fact, I'm will to bet most are happy to see him die, and I can guess that many are waiting to see what memories the Supreme Regurgitator has to share…**

** Misaka Clone: Yeah, I threw one in, acting as the sniper. She won't be playing a major part in the story, so don't worry; we're closing in on the conclusion to A Certain Sapient Virus.**

** TO THE GUEST: I apologize for not making the fight longer, but I had my reasons (stated above). I tried including the glowing eyes thing to the best of my ability without giving Touma a new, unnatural and unexplained power. **


	49. Chapter 49

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**MYTHFAN: Thank you. **

**THAQIF: Gotchya. **

**GUEST: Again, you have my apologies for giving Touma so little time in the spotlight. He deserves more than I can give, but with Prototype-level healing, there wasn't much I could do to stretch out a 1v1 fight between Touma and Ares. **

**HARSHCRITIC: You know, given your name, I'm not surprised you voiced your opinion on something you disliked in my story (I'm referring to your comment on me "ruining Alex/Siren's role as the ONLY sentient virus in the game"). Still, I can see why you think that, and I'm sorry that you feel that way. Either way, thank you for voicing your opinion. **

**NOTE: Usually, I write memories in bold, but for this longer sequence, I decided not to because it would be an eyesore. **

**Chapter 49**

**Dark Skies and Twisted Lies**

He could barely make sense of the images passing before his eyes. Countless faces, countless lives flashed before him in the blink of an eye. Voices were whispering everywhere, talking about everything from last night's meal to how they plan on murdering their next victim.

The endless sea of images suddenly vanished, replaced by an image of a colossal, mutated creature rising out of a street. Its massive spine could be seen through its flesh, and there, on its head, was a patch of flesh where there lay a woman, fused to the horrific creature. The beast let out a deafening roar, causing several soldiers, clad in black, to raise their hands and cover their ears.

A pair of pale hands came up to shield the face belonging to the owner of the memory. "Elizabeth?" breathed a raspy voice.

These memories felt different from the others. They were more intimate, more recognizable, more…_personal_.

Yet again, the image was changed, revealing a dark sidewalk. The owner of the memory was walking along said sidewalk, eyes cast down upon the ground. Brown shoes tapped against the sidewalk as the stranger—the frighteningly _familiar_—stranger walked, hands in his pockets.

"What have I become?" he asked himself. "Something less than human…but also something more."

The image was replaced by a scene of a woman lying in a hospital bed. The memory was playing out from the point of view of a man leaning over the bed, his pale hands gripping the sheets. The woman was still, unmoving. Her lips were slightly parted, and he could see that she wasn't breathing.

"Dana," whispered a voice—one that he found oddly familiar…yet so astoundingly alien.

The scene was warped almost instantly, fading away to reveal a dark room, filled with machines and a stolen hospital bed. The whispering had become unbearably loud, and the memory's owner would occasionally being to hyperventilate or suddenly gasp for air.

The same pale hands were tapping away at a computer, researching something on Blackwatch and Gentek.

Yet again, the scene changed. This time, the memory's owner was on the ground, coughing and screaming as tentacles climbed from his chest, pooling together as they constructed an entirely new body.

There was a grotesque popping sound as the memory's owner fell over, the tentacles that had pooled together toppling down alongside him.

The next image showed something very similar. The memory's owner was on the floor once more, screaming as tentacles reached out from his chest and began forming a body of sorts.

He was trying again.

The scene ended much like the last one; the memory's owner toppled over, and the tentacles followed suit.

Suddenly, he was on his hands and knees, panting as disbelief, surprise, and a sense of succession filled him. Slowly, he looked up, only to see what looked like an exact copy of him standing there with no discernible emotion on its face.

The icy blue eyes were blank and hollow, staring at him in confusion. The hood and dark, layered clothing made the figure seem larger than he actually was, and the red tribal symbol that he knew was on his back was undoubtedly glowing.

He had finally succeeded in making his own clone. He finally had someone to take the fall, to take the pain.

The scene changed yet again, replaced by the image of him holding his hand out, placing it atop the clone's head. Tendrils reached from his fingertips, digging into the clone's head as he funneled the memories into his creation.

"You are now Alex Mercer," he breathed to his clone.

Time seemed to fast forward, and he knew the new image was a memory from a later date than the previous one. He was lying on the hospital bed, the remainder of his memories being forced into the clone.

The clone would die in his place, giving Blackwatch the corpse they desired. They would think he was dead—they would _finally_ leave him alone. He wouldn't have to spend the rest of his days living with his mistakes, living with the mistake that cost Dana—his _sister_—her very life.

The clone would die in his place, and he, the original, would live on with his new, younger body, and without the burden of his past life.

He would erase everything about Alex Mercer, and he would become a new being.

All he needed was a name. One to replace the one he would soon forget.

He looked over at a leftover pile of blood on the floor, taking in his reflection. The grey eyes that had replaced his icy blue ones stared back at him from beneath a head of silver hair. The pale skin and young face almost felt wrong, seeing as this was one of his younger victims.

The victim's name had once been Simon.

Perhaps he would name himself something similar?

The memory ended, and he was suddenly left with an image of complete darkness. He could tell his eyes were closed, but even so, his ears were still functioning perfectly. He could hear soldiers slowly inching closer. He could hear them mumbling to each other, and he could tell that their weapons were still trained on him.

He slowly opened his eyes, and was treated to the sight of the silhouettes of several Blackwatch soldiers as they moved closer to him. The men sprang back at his awakening, but he didn't move. He couldn't move. The original had told him not to. The memories had told him not to. He was to accept his fate as his creator intended.

He was to become Alex Mercer, and to die in the original's place. The original—the creature that had taken the name of its creator for itself—would finally be at peace after the death of his sister.

He didn't even flinch when the soldiers pulled the triggers on their weapons, flooding his body with bullets. He lay there, allowing himself to slowly be killed, just like the original had ordered. Just like the memories had told him to do. He was accepting his death just like he had been told to do.

He was freeing the original from his own past.

He shut his eyes, prepared to embrace whatever fate may befall him after his death. His body had become less and less stable, reaching the point where he was no longer capable of movement. The battle with Blackwatch only minutes ago had put his body through stress the likes of which he had never known. He had never felt so many tank shells hit him at once.

Suddenly, the gunfire stopped, ceasing as a strange, grotesque choking sound filled the air. He slowly opened his eyes, the afternoon sun that floated in the sky burning his eyes and preventing him from properly seeing. The gunfire suddenly began again, though nothing hit him. It took him a second to realize it, but after hearing the sounds of fighting, he realized that someone else was here, fighting Blackwatch.

He mentally frowned. Who could be here? The original was asleep, recovering from the loss of most of his memories, along with his physical form. The new body—or rather, the remains of the original's old one—wasn't quite ready for action yet.

Explosions were sounding off around him, and he was beginning to get a little concerned. Whoever had come to fight Blackwatch was giving them a fight that warranted the use of heavy weaponry.

That wasn't good.

Weakly, slowly, he tried sitting up. His body was barely responding, but by then, it didn't matter. Blackwatch was being utterly obliterated as a dark blur dashed between their ranks, cutting them down with power like he had never witnessed. It was comparable to the memories of the original—memories of great battles where he had waded through herds of soldiers and Infected, slicing through them with almost no resistance.

It wasn't long before the soldiers were wiped out, and by then, he was almost on his feet. He was distracted from his attempt at standing when a grey hand reached into his field of view, held out with the palm pointed to the side.

Someone was helping him up.

He looked up, seeing a dark figure whose facial features were nearly invisible since the sun was almost directly behind him—for he knew it was male because of the hand that was being offered.

"So," whispered a voice that caused him to freeze when he heard it. It sounded like that of a child, but at the same time, it sounded like that of an adult. It was also layered with various voices from both genders as it spoke. He only knew of one creature with such a voice: Elizabeth Greene.

But how?! She was supposed to be dead!

"ZEUS," continued the voice. "We meet at last."

The image was warped once more, now showing a pair of grey hands gripping a railing as the memory's owner bent over it, looking down at the burning, virus-infested city below.

The hands' grip on the railing tightened, snapping through the metal.

The original had tricked him. He had sent him on a suicide mission to save his own hide. He had refused to give him any emotion, any understanding so that he wouldn't even be capable of _questioning_ the idea and the motive itself!

He had been played, used; created to die in the place of one too cowardly to face his own mistakes. Ever since he had been freed from the delusion that the original—that _Alex Mercer_—had placed on him, he had begun to realize just how twisted the original was.

In the time since he had been freed, much had changed. His savior and new master had begun giving him emotion and understanding, and little by little, he was beginning to develop a new personality, which was technically his first personality.

He had even been given a new name; Ares. He wore the name with pride, knowing that it marked him as his own person, rather than just a tool created by Alex Mercer to free himself of his own burdens. It was a shame, _such a shame_, that the original had escaped with his new body before they could reach him.

The original had even taken a new name for himself; Siren Mercer—the new name of his enemy and creator. His fists clenched as he thought about the creature in question. Thinking of him filled him with fury, regret, disgust, _hatred_. One day he would hunt down Siren Mercer, consume him, and become whole. Only this time, Siren wouldn't be the one in control, oh no! It would be _him_ and _him_ alone!

"Ares," whispered the double-toned voice of his master. "I have an assignment for you. Come."

He stared at the being that had practically given him life—_real _life; not the cheap excuse Alex Mercer had granted him. A small smile broke out across his face as he looked at the grey-skinned creature.

"Yes…Pariah."

Time fast forwarded yet again, and the new image displayed a view of the twisted and warped remains of New York City. The memory's owner was quite pleased with his current life.

He had begun to mature to new levels, becoming so much more than what he had started out as. He was now capable of feeling actual emotion, capable of thinking for himself. No longer was he just a puppet, pulled along by strings attached to the fingers of a smarter being. Pariah had been kind to him, helping him through various situations and funneling memories into his mind, teaching him how to properly think and feel.

Alex Mercer hadn't done that for him. He had just dumped his problems on him and didn't give him the ability to complain or disobey. He kept all the emotions and reasoning for himself using a method that not even Pariah could decipher.

However, there were downsides to learning to feel. Now that he was capable of understanding the things around him on an emotional level, the memories of Alex Mercer caused him nothing but misery. The pain, the hatred, the anger, the loss; all of it served to drive him insane. It was probably half the reason why Alex Mercer hadn't given him the ability to understand and feel. Without that, he wouldn't be all that effected by the memories.

It also meant Mercer could control him without him fighting back.

The image was replaced by one from a later date, this one showing a screen that played a video of a certain silver-haired teen.

Ares was angry.

He was angry at seeing his creator, the creature that had wronged him without a shred of remorse. Mercer had forced all his memories onto him, and now, he was struggling with them, growing steadily more frustrated with the feelings that came along with them, while Mercer was as free as a bird, prancing about in…what country was he in again?

He took another look at the screen.

Ah, yes, Mexico. Mercer was currently hiding out in Mexico.

He had wanted to forget the memories that Mercer had forced upon him. He wanted to pass them on to someone more experienced, more capable; someone like Pariah. However, Pariah had insisted that he keep the memories, saying that they will come in handy when dealing with Mercer.

He wasn't entirely sure what Pariah was planning to do with the memories, but he wasn't going to question his master, even if he was frustrated with the memories.

Time passed in the blink of an eye, suddenly showing a scene of Ares sitting on a rooftop, brooding, and ignoring the outside world.

He had already understood that Pariah planned on using Mercer's DNA to make more Prototypes, but before that could happen, they needed creatures Pariah had deemed 'Evolved'. Pariah himself had created plenty of them, but he was now beginning to teach Ares how to weed out the more promising subjects—ones who would obey and were weaker than their soon-to-be masters. Ares had begun to understand that Pariah was smarter than it seemed.

That was another thing about Pariah; it wasn't truly a 'he'. Or a 'she', for that matter. Pariah had made itself quite clear when it explained to him that it had long since abandoned the classifications of male and female. It only held the form of a male, but in actuality, gender no longer applied to Pariah.

Up until recently, he had always thought of Pariah as a fair and good master. But recently, he began to understand that Pariah's ways weren't always…clean. Pariah obliterated all that stood in its patch, sweeping enemies away like a great wind. Allies, however, were kept under watch, and Pariah made sure that allies and subordinates alike were weaker that it was. Pariah didn't permit a power greater than its own to exist.

And that was what worried Ares. Pariah had promised him a position alongside it, telling him that his power would be second only to its own. He couldn't fathom the idea of Pariah turning on him or consuming him, but he knew it was a creature that thirsted for power.

It had even saved him from the twisted existence Mercer had forced upon him! Mercer had breathed false life into his dead body, but Pariah had truly shown him what it meant to be alive!

Pariah wouldn't turn on him…right?

The scene flashed away, revealing a new one to replace it. Now, Ares was older, stronger, more experienced, but above all, he was _angry_. Today, Pariah had informed him that he wouldn't be able to consume Mercer—not out of inability, but because Pariah had forbidden it!

Mercer's life was rightly his to end! _He_ was the one who was wronged by Mercer! _He _was the one who was forced to bear the burden his creator's curse! If anything, nobody had more right to end Mercer than he did! But Pariah refused to acknowledge that! Ares had been under the impression that the hunt for Mercer's DNA didn't entail Mercer's survival. He had always assumed that Pariah would take a sample and then allow him to enact revenge upon his foe!

But _no_! He was told to wait, to allow Mercer the chance to _join_ them of all things! Couldn't Pariah see that Mercer was far too disobedient and dangerous to allow to live?!

Pariah had been rather forceful in its declaration to Ares, making sure he understood that Mercer was not to be killed yet.

Ares was very unhappy indeed.

The new image was from many months later, portraying Ares as he silently fumed.

Pariah's true colors had begun to show. Or rather, he had simply been too blind to see it earlier on. Today, a loyal Evolved was killed and consumed by Pariah. The creature had made the excuse that the Evolved was a traitor, a human sympathizer.

Ares knew that to be a lie. He had known that Evolved like the back of his hand. He had been the one to grant that Evolved his powers after all! He knew for a _fact_ that that Evolved hadn't been a traitor.

No…no, Pariah had just wanted the Evolved's unique memories and DNA. He had been special amongst his lesser brethren—a direct result of Ares' efforts to strengthen the existing Evolved.

Pariah, on the other hand, was attempting to keep them weak, to keep them in line, controlling them through fear of its greater power. He found himself wondering if Pariah would one day cast him aside—or just consume him once he became too powerful.

He sighed. Perhaps he was being too hard on Pariah…maybe he simply misunderstood, or perhaps he didn't…he didn't…

He shook his head.

Time passed by in an instant, and what replaced the angry Ares was an even older version of Ares. He may have looked the same, but his bank of memories and experience had reached whole new levels.

Pariah had lied to him. It was using him as a tool to capture Mercer. Why it didn't just go after him itself, he didn't know, but what he did know was that Pariah promised to grant him the same power that it would receive from the samples of Mercer's DNA.

He now knew that that promise had been nothing more than a lie; a method Pariah had used to get him to do its dirty work while it focused on evolved, evolving, and evolving.

By the time Mercer was captured, Pariah would be strong enough to knock him around like a doll, all while keeping its hungry children at bay.

He finally understood. Pariah was going to consume Mercer on its own…and then…it would turn on _him_. Pariah, the creature who had practically given him life, would use him to steal away what was rightfully his, consume him, and proceed to rule the world with an iron fist, replacing humanity as the dominant species with its Infected. The Evolved would be granted greater power, but Pariah's strength would still eclipse theirs.

Ares, however, would become too powerful with Mercer's DNA. He knew that, and unfortunately, so did Pariah. He knew now that Pariah had no intention of letting him live once he had exhausted his usefulness as a living creature.

He'd have to consume Mercer himself to gain the power necessary to take Pariah on. He was certain that he would be the one sent to find Mercer.

He did hold the title of the Supreme Regurgitator, after all.

…

He hated that title. Not because of how it sounded, or what it made people think of, but because of the one who had granted him that title.

Pariah was only using him, and no matter how much praise he received, he knew Pariah's words were as hollow as the creature itself. As hollow as its own soul.

For now, however, he'd play his part and pretend to hold the title with honor, but he had made up his mind. After realizing how little Pariah would care for him after its ascension, after realizing just how quickly he'd be cast aside, he had come to a decision.

Pariah had to die.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Memories: Yes, they are strangely written. No, they aren't meant to make much sense. Why? Because they're information in raw form, yet to be explained and understood by Siren. Next chapter is when Siren (and a good portion of the audience) will make sense of what happened. But the real question is…will Siren still be Siren?**

** Pariah: Yup, the mysterious and elusive monster, the slippery mastermind behind the Evolved, the Infected, and Ares is none other than Pariah itself. **


	50. Chapter 50

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**MYTHFAN: Good job.**

**Chapter 50**

**The Legend Returns**

Touma's fists clenched as Siren began to straighten ever so slightly. The silver-haired teen had kneeled to the ground when he began to consume Ares, but now, he was slowly beginning to stand up.

The first sign that something wasn't normal was the fact that he looked taller. His body was still reconstructing, so at the moment, he held the appearance of a mass of red and black tentacles. His physical features were mostly absent, as they had yet to be rebuilt, but his height was one thing that had definitely changed.

Touma gulped, hoping that Siren would return to normal by the time he had completely reformed. Maybe this was just temporary?

Touma took a step back as the tentacles began settling, and physical features began to form. The first thing he noticed was the pair of brown shoes that formed at the bottom of the figure's legs, followed by a pair of jeans. It was shortly after this that Touma finally scrambled back, eyes widening in shock.

The tentacles began forming a jacket, and upon its back was a red tribal symbol that resembled a pair of wings. Touma instantly recognized the symbol as the same one he had seen on Ares' back while watching over the cameras. Eyes widening, he took a step back in fear, desperately trying to figure out what was going on.

The tentacles were forming a head, and Touma watched as a grey hood stretched across the newly formed head of the figure—whose identity Touma wasn't so sure of anymore. Finally, the tentacles stopped, and in front of Touma stood a figure that was simply too tall to be Siren.

He faced away from Touma, looking off into the distance, his head slightly tilted towards the sky. Touma prepared for the worst—prepared to fight whoever this guy was. His fists clenched as he stared at the figure.

Suddenly, the figure turned around.

Touma blinked when he saw the face. His first thought was that he was looking at an older, more mature version of Siren, though he didn't necessarily understand _why_. The face wasn't all that similar to Siren's, but the eyes, the cold, calculated look, _everything_; it just...reminded him of Siren.

His second thought was that the faced bore a frightening resemblance to Ares. However, the burning red eyes were gone, replaced by a pair of icy blue orbs that lacked the burning hatred and fury Ares had displayed. Instead, they were calm, cool, and collected. The two stared at each other for a few moments before finally, Touma worked up the nerve to speak.

"Siren?" he asked unsurely. "Please tell me that's you…"

The figure paused and tilted his head, seemingly pondering the question as though it required a lot of thinking on his part. Finally, he answered, and his answer shocked Touma.

"No."

He straightened out, looking down at the unlucky teenager.

"My name is Alex Mercer."

***Page Break***

She was confused. The violent shape shifter was gone—beaten by Touma and consumed by the one she understood to be Siren. However, something didn't feel quite…right.

She kept her sights trained on the hooded figure that stood before Touma. Her finger twitched as she watched the man—for he was clearly older than the silver-haired fighter from a few moments ago—turn to Touma. She could see that his face resembled the previous shape shifter, Ares, but at the same time…it was different.

She couldn't tell if this was a new enemy or an old friend.

"Just who are you, mutters Misaka," said the clone.

***Page Break***

Part of him felt relieved beyond belief. He was whole once more. The memories that had kept resurfacing, the strange things the Evolved and Ares had said to him. Even Craig's odd words now made sense. All of it finally came together.

And yet, part of him was miserable, knowing that he had ultimately failed in what he had been trying to achieve.

It seemed as though his past refused to let him go. He had tried to throw away his identity and become someone new, but here he was, in his old form, with his old name, with his old power.

It was clear to him what had happened now. Everything made sense.

"Siren?" asked the boy in front of him. "Please tell me that's you..."

He paused for a second. Could he truly call himself 'Siren Mercer' anymore? The name that once felt like his own now felt like a thing of the past, for now he understood. He understood that Siren Mercer was just another disguise, albeit one that he had purposely attempted to personalize for himself. However, with all his old memories back, he understood that since he failed to create a new identity, calling himself by a fake name was pointless.

Siren Mercer was meant to be his new life, but that plan had failed. He was now in possession of all his old memories, and he had no real use for the fake name he had created for himself. The time spent attempting to understand himself had been entirely wasted, as Siren Mercer had no true history. He was just a stand-in, a cheap copy.

The answer was simple.

"No," he told Touma, watching as the boy's eyes widened. "My name is Alex Mercer."

Touma looked him up and down, obviously unsure of how to react. Granted, Alex doubted that Touma had expected this outcome.

_He probably didn't want it either. He and the others know me as Siren Mercer, but now they have to accept the fact that it was all just a disguise. They have to understand that that name no longer pertains to me. _

"Touma," he said calmly, holding out his hand. "I need your earpiece. Mine got destroyed while consuming the clo—Ares."

Touma didn't react. Alex mentally sighed in annoyance. Had he more time to analyze the situation, he was sure he would have foreseen this. However, there had been little time for analysis, and the time to talk was now.

"Touma," he began again, his new deeper, raspier voice doing little to soothe the teen. "I get that you're confused—scared, even—but right now is not the time for that. Give me your earpiece; I need to talk to Aleister."

Touma gulped. "Y-you said you weren't Siren…you said you were—"

"Alex Mercer," he interrupted. "Yes, yes, _I know_. The problem is, you _don't _know. You want an explanation, as will the others. Until I check in with Aleister and make sure everything is good to go, I can't leave the city without causing problems."

He crossed his arms. "Besides, Mikoto still needs some medical attention to make sure she's alright."

He would have continued, but the part about Mikoto had been more than enough to snap Touma out of his funk. Eyes widening, the boy yanked out the earpiece and handed it to Alex before running over to Mikoto's still body. Alex placed the device in his hear, quickly turning it on.

"Aleister," he began, waiting for a response.

"…yes?" asked replied the man. Alex noted that he had hesitated, an action uncharacteristic of Aleister. No doubt, the man was confused by the strange turn of events. Alex mentally sighed. When the time came to reveal himself to the others, the explanation would be beyond awkward.

"Aleister, we need a way back to the others," he explained. "The barrier you set up will block me from walking in, so I need an alternative method of entry. Touma should be fine; we're pretty close to the hospital, from what I can tell. He got here pretty quickly, so I assume it's close by."

Aleister paused. "Siren—"

"Alex," he corrected.

"I'm…sorry, what?" Aleister asked in confusion.

"My name is Alex Mercer," he repeated.

Again, Aleister stayed silent. When he didn't respond, Alex spoke up. "I'll explain everything to all of you at once. After that, I'll make sure you're all set to fight the Infected, and then I leave. Don't drag this out, Aleister. Neither of us has time for this."

He felt different talking to the man. He knew that, with his new appearance, Aleister probably saw him as more of an adult than before. But that also meant Aleister probably saw him as more of a threat.

"Just take down the barrier," Alex offered. "We can walk through it and you can close it behind us."

"Absolutely not," Aleister replied. "That barrier stays up. I don't know if you're truly still our ally, but I can't risk opening the way for an army of Infected to come marching through."

Alex sighed. "Don't be a fool, Aleister. You'd see an army of Infected long before they could get in. Besides, if I wanted to get into the hospital to create problems, why would I have taken this form? If I really wasn't your ally, why wouldn't I have just taken the form you are all familiar with and just say that my name is Siren Mercer? I would have had a much easier time to get into the hospital that way, what with you all being so familiar with that form."

If he had to guess, he'd say that Aleister was frustrated with his behavior. Now that he was whole again, Aleister felt like more of an equal, rather than a mysterious figure pulling the strings from behind the curtains.

"Aleister," he repeated. "Mikoto is unconscious and in need of medical attention to ensure her survival. Kuroko is too injured to teleport around and _I _need to get a move on. Just release the barrier for just long enough for us to get inside and away from it, and then throw it back up."

There was a short silence as Alex awaited the response. He knew Aleister was trying to think carefully about this one. "I hope you understand," the man finally began. "That this isn't going to give you a free shot at the people in the hospital. If that's you, Ares, know that the hospital is still well fortified."

"I'm not Ares," Alex responded. "My name is Alex, and the sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can hunt down the one responsible for all this. Just open the barrier so I can get Touma and Mikoto into the hospital."

"…Fine. But remember; you'll be watched, whether you know it or not," Aleister replied.

***Page Break***

Reaching the hospital took longer than he had expected. Alex wasn't deterred by the fact that he was carrying both Touma and Mikoto while he ran, but the constant glares he received from the Anti-Skill troops annoyed him. Their attention was better spent looking into the distance for signs of rabid Infected. Alex, after all, was different.

Finally, the trio—one of which was still unconscious—passed the limits of the barrier. The invisible shield was reset behind them, as far as Alex knew. The barrier was practically undetectable, but he figured that Aleister had reset the devices the moment he could. Alex had set both of his passengers down, informing Touma that it would draw attention if people saw him sprinting around at full speed while carrying two people.

However, he had still offered to carry Mikoto, if only to keep moving at a respectable rate. Much to his annoyance, Touma had insisted that he be the one to carry Mikoto. Because of this, the three of them were currently moving at an unbearably slow rate, given that Touma was hauling Mikoto around.

"Touma," Alex rasped. "This is taking too long. Just let me carry—"

"No," Touma interrupted. "I'll carry Biri-Biri."

Alex resisted the urge to growl. In his eyes, Touma was simply adding unnecessary burdens to their trip. Still, he allowed Touma to carry the girl. Since so few people trusted him anymore—a direct result of the fact that he had his old body back—he knew he couldn't do anything that came off as violent. If he forced Touma to hand over Mikoto, he would only damage the strained relationship that remained between him and his 'allies'.

After some time, the hospital finally came into view. It looked very similar to how Alex had remembered it, only everything felt a bit shorter. This was probably due to the fact that his height had increased by a small amount after he had finished consuming Ares.

The two had walked into the structure quietly, avoiding contact with the various people that were scattered around. They didn't need any possible interruptions, so Alex had insisted they avoid creating a scenario where they had to interact with people.

Of course, that wasn't always possible, so they had to settle for making it as scarce as possible. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they had come to the room where Kuroko was. Alex didn't actually know this room's location; he had been following Touma. The boy in question gave him one final glance before opening the door and stepping inside.

Alex stayed put, sticking to the shadows as he leaned against the wall. If things went wrong, he'd have an extra split second to react while people attempted to locate him. He was greeted with the sight of Kuroko lying in a hospital bed with the covers pulled up to her chest. She was staring off into the ceiling, and Alex immediately deduced that she was bored.

Of course, he had figured this out milliseconds before she turned to them. Her eyes immediately brightened, but then quickly filled with panic when she saw Mikoto." Onee-sama!" she cried, trying to get out of bed. Seconds after the words had left her mouth, a familiar doctor rushed out through an open door in the back wall of the hospital.

His eyes widened when they saw Mikoto's body in Touma's arms, and he quickly stepped forwards, tenderly reaching out with his hand. Touma lifted Mikoto up a bit as the doctor touched her face before leaning in and examining her.

Touma bit his lower lip as he watched. "Is she…is she alright?"

The doctor hesitated before nodding. "She should be. It seems as though she's just unconscious, but I want to make sure. Help me get her over to the bed by Kuroko."

Touma complied, helping to carry Mikoto over. Kuroko watched with worry before her eyes shifted to the open door, where she finally noticed the figure standing the shadows, his icy blue eyes seemingly glowing in the dark.

Kuroko's eyes widened with surprise before narrowing in suspicion. "Touma," she barked without taking her eyes off Alex.

Touma looked up from his work and saw that Kuroko was staring at Alex. Sweat began collecting on his forehead as he remembered the…unique nature of the situation they were currently in with 'Siren'. By now, the doctor had also looked up, noticing Alex shortly after doing so. Alex caught the slight stiffening of the man's muscles as their eyes met.

"Touma," began the doctor. "Who is this?"

"Apparently, not Siren," Touma answered dryly. For the first time since she noticed him, Kuroko took her eyes off Alex, staring at Touma in confusion. Alex chose that moment to step forwards, gliding across the ground as he made his way into the light. The moment he moved, Kuroko and the doctor immediately focused on him once more. Touma was a little slower when it came to recognizing a potential threat, but Alex had to give him a little credit for at least recognizing that there _was_ a potential threat.

Perhaps it was the boy's attachment to Misaka Mikoto and his apparent desire to protect her?

Alex decided to speak up. "Hello," he said calmly. Kuroko's glare shifted slightly as she twitched in confusion.

"Cut the crap, Siren," she growled. "What's going on?" Alex was already shaking his head by the time the girl was done speaking.

"My name is Alex Mercer."

Kuroko and the doctor both froze at the statement. Kuroko's head swiveled slightly as she tried to turn to the doctor, but some sort of inner instinct told her to stop turning and keep her eyes on Alex. Suddenly, a frown found its way onto her face.

"Siren," she hissed. "Stop with the—"

"Kuroko," interrupted the doctor. Alex could see that the frog-faced doctor's knuckles were strained as his grip around the bed's rail tightened. "I believe it would be wise to wait for him to explain of his own accord. It will be simpler."

Alex understood why the doctor was acting strangely. Up until now, the doctor had only interacted with him when he was Siren Mercer. Back then, he had held the appearance of a teenage boy. Now…now he looked like an adult.

There was just something far more menacing about an adult with murderous powers than a teenager with the same powers.

The doctor was exhibiting this very fear. He was now faced with what he probably assumed to be an adult version of Siren Mercer. Alex realized that the doctor probably wanted to avoid any arguments and was trying to keep things smooth by giving Alex time to explain.

In short, the doctor now saw Alex as a much larger threat than Siren ever was to him.

_Good. He'll need those instincts during Academy City's battle against the remaining Infected._

Kuroko looked between the two of them unsurely, attempting to read Alex. However, she quickly found that reading him was beyond her abilities. The best she could do was frown and lean back, crossing her arms as she looked at Alex.

Like the doctor, she was also wary. And for good reason too.

** A/N: So here he is; Alex Mercer, in all his former glory. Next chapter is when explanations are made, and next chapter is also the Explanations/Clarifications section that will explain why I even bothered having the whole 'Siren is Alex' plot device even integrated in the story. And yes, I'm aware that this chapter lacks anything major to contribute to the story, but think of it as the initial reactions to Alex Mercer casually strolling onto the scene. Also, yes, the chapter is a day late; apologies for that. Easter called for family visits, etc. etc. **


	51. Chapter 51

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**HARLEY QUINN-PSYCHOTICANTIHERO: Indeed; everyone's favorite Prototype has returned. Also, your name is brilliant. **

**GUEST: I call it Explanations/Clarifications because that's exactly what it is. An author's note is what I leave when I have something else to say besides a brief explanation on a plot device (such as informing the audience of an upcoming event/chapter/etc.).**

**THAQIF: I am immensely gladdened to hear what you think of the atmosphere I set up. I don't know if you've played the original [Prototype], but boy, the atmosphere of THAT game was really dark. Prototype 2 completely ruined the feeling of the original [Prototype], but that's a topic for another day. I'd also like to mention that I've taken your suggestion into consideration, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do if for sure (I plan on taking a break from writing after this story). Finally, I'd like to point out that the atmosphere of a Prototype/Akame Ga Kill story would also be pretty dark…**

**Chapter 51**

**Aftermath**

Mikoro twitched as she looked between Mikoto's resting form and the hooded man that was sitting in a chair by the wall, as still as a corpse. She spared a glance at Touma and Index as the girl chastised him for sneaking off—though how he did that she still didn't know.

From what she had been told, they were waiting for Mikoto to wake up so that Siren, or 'Alex', as he had taken to calling himself, could explain to them all at once. For some reason, he had made it perfectly clear that he had no intention of repeating himself, and therefore wanted to wait for Mikoto to wake up.

The deal had been cemented when the doctor informed them that Mikoto shouldn't be asleep for much longer. So now here they were, sitting in awkward silence, waiting for the electric esper to open her eyes.

Mikoro twiddled her thumbs as she looked around the room, trying to keep from focusing on one thing for too long. In all honesty, she had been genuinely disturbed to see Siren after they had returned from the battle with Ares. When she first saw him, she had a minor panic attack, thinking that it was Ares who had arrived.

She was corrected when Touma explained to her what he had seen. However, that put her even _more_ on edge because this new character didn't refer to himself as Siren.

He called himself Alex Mercer.

She knew that name. Oh how she knew that name. Rika had mentioned it, Siren had mentioned it, and ever since this whole deal with the Infected started, all the way back when Craig had kidnapped her, the name 'Alex Mercer' felt like a looming presence that hung there, waiting to make its move.

The name had been there from the start, subtly calling for attention as it seemed to tie in with _everything_. And now here he was; the man who bore the name of Alex Mercer.

Both Rika and Siren had some sort of connection to that name—Siren because he seemed to have some sort of relationship to the man, and Rika because said man had killed her father. And now, both Siren and Rika were seemingly gone, replaced by the creature that had haunted both of them for some time.

That was another thing: Rika's memories and DNA were part of the hooded man that sat some feet away from her. The thought was incredibly strange and alien to her; this man had the memories of both Siren and Rika, two of her friends and allies. The entire situation had gone over her head and now she was simply trying to pick up the pieces and figure out what the heck was going on.

She had also noticed that the frog-faced doctor kept glancing at 'Alex' with a look of subtle concern on his face. He tried to hide it, but Mikoro could detect the faintest hints of distrust and worry. This 'Alex' either didn't care or didn't know about the doctor's concern.

There was one other thing—one other _major_ thing—that kept nagging at her mind; the identity of the one behind it all. The person sitting just a few feet away undoubtedly knew the name—and hopefully, the whereabouts—of the mastermind behind it all. That meant that as soon as Mikoto was awake and alert enough to understand what was being said, 'Alex' would explain himself, and tell them where he's headed off to.

She knew he would, even if he didn't want to. Aleister wouldn't let him leave peacefully if he didn't explain who was behind the attack on Academy City.

Again, she felt herself twitch with anticipation. She could only hope the conversation went well and peacefully.

***Page Break***

Alex's eyes snapped to the bed as he heard a low groan. Mikoto was beginning to stir, and after a few seconds, her eyes fluttered open. She sat there, her eyelids half closed as she gazed at the ceiling. Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she bolted upright, frantically glancing around the room.

If it weren't for the doctor's intervention, she would have seen Alex and most likely mistaken him for Ares. Luckily, the frog-faced doctor had stepped in between Mikoto and the recently completed Prototype.

"Mikoto," the doctor calmly began, holding his hands up in front of her in a soothing manner. "Mikoto, it's me. You remember me, right?"

Mikoto stared for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what was being said. Finally, she seemed to realize who it was that she was looking at, and nodded dumbly. Judging by the way the doctor's cheeks and head moved, Alex deduced that the man was smiling.

"Good, good," said the doctor. "Okay, I know you're shaken up and confused, but I assure you that you're safe. We're in the hospital, and Ares is gone. You and your…friends did it."

Alex didn't miss the hesitation before the word 'friends'. It was clear that the doctor was still unsure of whether he was an ally, and enemy, or something else entirely.

Honestly, at this point, Alex considered himself more of a neutral party with a common enemy.

"Ares is…gone?" Mikoto slowly asked before a smile began forming on her face. "We won?"

"Yes, dear," the doctor kindly replied. "You've won; Academy City is taking leaps and bounds towards recovery."

The smile on Mikoto's face instantly changed to a large, toothy grin. Alex watched as the girl instinctively hugged the nearest thing to her, which just so happened to be Kuroko. The sapient virus rolled his eyes at the scene, eagerly waiting for the moment he could explain the situation, and then leave.

Every part of him was itching to fight Pariah and end this. Once he had thought he was meant to be a superior creation to Pariah, but he had clearly been wrong. Pariah had been stronger from the start, but now…now Alex was whole—_better _than whole, actually. He now had several Evolved, a Prototype, and dozens of unique Infected within him, all serving to add fuel to the fire that was his power.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard someone clear their throat. Looking up, he saw the doctor glancing between him and Mikoto. By now, the electric esper had realized that she was hugging her close friend, and let go. This also entailed that she had finally taken the time to look around the room and scan it for whoever else may be with her.

She froze when her eyes fell on him. It wasn't fear that stopped her, as far as Alex could tell, but curiosity…confusion.

Mikoto cocked her head as she looked at him. "Am I…missing something?" she asked before glancing at Kuroko. "What's up with Siren?" She realized that she was speaking about someone who was sitting a few feet in front of her, and instantly corrected her mistake by facing Alex once more. "What happened to you?"

Alex opened his mouth but, much to his annoyance, was silenced by the doctor as he held up his hand. "One moment, please," he interrupted. "I need to make sure she's okay and that no permanent damage was done."

Alex had had enough. "And you couldn't have done this while she was asleep?" he growled.

The doctor responded with a scowl. "I did, but I need to be sure. That requires talking to her a bit. You can do…whatever it is you needed to do in a few minutes."

Alex found himself mentally groaning. Almost all his medical knowledge came from the countless Gentek scientists whose memories he was in possession of, and as a result, his knowledge of medical procedures didn't really include any real care for a patient. Gentek had better things to do than watch over every little soldier and scientist who got an injury.

He had firsthand knowledge of that.

Mikoto was still looking at him unsurely, but her attention was pulled away as the doctor began speaking to her and quietly examining her health one last time. Meanwhile, Alex was thinking about how he would confront Pariah. Ares' memories showed no obvious weaknesses, but Alex was analyzing them to the best of his ability, hoping to maybe find something that Ares might have missed when he had lived through the events.

To his dismay, he found nothing. Pariah seemed nigh invincible.

The only reason he even had a chance of winning was because of the constant consumption of unique Infected—and esper—DNA that he had indulged in since arriving in Academy City. If he was weaker than Pariah, finding an exploitable weakness would be nearly impossible. If he was stronger than Pariah now, he'd have to keep his head in the game. Pariah wasn't an idiot; it would try to outsmart him if it thought it was the weaker fighter.

The memories he had of Pariah offered a picture of its power, but Alex couldn't be sure if that was as strong as Pariah truly was. He doubted it. If Pariah was just waiting for Ares to evolve to the point that he'd provide relevant power during consumption, it wouldn't have revealed its strength to him. Not completely, anyway. He had to assume the memories portrayed Pariah as weaker than it truly was.

But the question still stood; how strong had Pariah truly become? It had a gargantuan amount of time to evolve, but what it had in time, it lacked in quality. Pariah, as far as Ares had known, hadn't begun consuming Evolved for power yet. Not on a massive scale. The occasional scheme was revealed where Pariah consumed a unique Evolved or two, but it hadn't begun devouring them like he had expected.

But would it still wait when it realized Ares was gone? Did it even have a way to find out? Alex's mind raced as the new thought struck him; what if Pariah began consuming Evolved when it found out he was on the way? Whatever advantages he gained by consuming Ares and the Evolved that invaded Academy City would be erased as Pariah caught up by gorging itself on its own creations.

_If this doctor doesn't __**FUCKING HURRY**__, I'm going to leave on my own. Explanations be damned, I can't waste time like this while Pariah gets countless chances to grow stronger!_

As if on queue, the doctor turned to them with a small smile. "It seems as though young Mikoto is well. Her injuries are still there, but no permanent damage was done."

"Finally," Alex muttered.

Kuroko gave Mikoto another hug, happy that her friend was alive and well. Touma smiled off on the sidelines, but as soon as Alex stood up, that smile faded. Kuroko's cheerful mood seemed to diminish as well when she remembered the situation with the local sapient virus.

"Onee-sama," Kuroko said, all emotion draining from her voice. "As glad as I am to see you in good shape, there's an…issue we need to address."

By now, everyone in the room was looking at Alex. Undeterred by the attention, Alex straightened up to his full height, standing above everyone else in the room. Mikoto frowned when she saw him.

"Yeah…I figured something was up," she said dryly. "So…Siren, care to explain what happened _this _time? Honestly, you transform more often than those alien car robots the Americans are so fond of."

Alex crossed his arms, not wanting to wait any longer. "Let's get something straight," he rasped. "Siren Mercer no longer exists. My name is Alex Mercer, and I'm not going to be allowed to leave here peacefully unless Aleister understands what happened, and I figured the rest of you would want to know what's going on."

Everyone save for the doctor was giving him a look that mirrored surprise and confusion. "I'm going to explain this all _once_," Alex began. "Siren Mercer was a mask; a mask that cracked and broke upon consuming Ares. So to kick things off, let me be the first to break the news to you; Siren Mercer has matured and moved one. He used to be _me _and now he's grown up and become me again."

Mikoto was waving her hands and shaking her head at this point. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What—"

"Pay attention and you'll get it," Alex interrupted. "I'm going to start at the beginning: by this point, the disaster in New York is common news. Most people know that there was a viral outbreak, but you all know the truth behind the lies; the truth about Blackwatch, Gentek, and the actions of, well, me. Back then, I was the one fighting Blackwatch, Gentek, the Infected, et cetera, et cetera."

He knew he was moving fast, but he didn't care. Pariah was out there, and with each passing seconds, the risk of it growing stronger increased. He had to give them the bare minimum in terms of background information on himself so that he could get to the part they wanted to hear.

"To make a long story short; someone important to me died. By that point, I was already unbalanced and I knew it. The death of…my sister…only served to unbalance me even more. Rather than going on and fighting a war I had no more desire to win, rather than succumbing to insanity, I decided I'd eliminate all that made Alex Mercer who he was. I decided to erase my memory and assume a new form to act as my…default body, I guess you could call it."

By this point, his audience was both listening intently and silently boiling with questions. Questions that he didn't care for. "In order to do this, I had to put those memories and that DNA somewhere. On top of that, I had to consider the problems that Blackwatch and Gentek would pose to me no matter how hard I tried to avoid them. The answer became clear; I had to fake my death, and what better way to do it than to actually die? It was a simple plan that killed two birds with one stone. I'd make a clone, dump my memories and DNA into him, and then have it die in my place. Blackwatch gets the corpse they so eagerly desired, I get my new life."

In retrospect, he knew he should have seen something like this coming. He should have foreseen the clone's eventual betrayal. Its transformation into Ares wasn't something he could have predicted, but he should have at least expected his clone's deviation from the path he had set for it.

Alex sighed. This was the part where things had gone wrong. "Unfortunately, that plan had a minor…setback. It had started off pretty well, though. I had created the clone, gave him the memories and DNA he needed to fool Blackwatch, and then made sure he was all set to go. The instructions were already burned into his mind, so all that was left was for him to die, and for me to sleep for some time while my body recovered from the process."

He shot Mikoro a glare when she attempted to ask a question. He knew he was being rude, but the sooner this was out of the way the better.

"Here is where things went wrong. The clone was almost dead—at this point, he was just waiting for Blackwatch to finish him off after the long battle he had with them. However, Blackwatch didn't get to him in time." Alex paused as his eyes narrowed. "Someone else got to the clone first. That someone was called Pariah."

The reaction was immediate. Mikoto and Mikoro, who both had a little knowledge of Pariah from past conversations with him while he was still 'Siren' both gasped. Kuroko's eyes widened, while Touma, unsurprisingly, glanced between them in confusion.

"Wait, who's—"

"Pariah," Alex cut him off. "Was…well, he…it has been there from the beginning. It was at Hope, Idaho, back when this entire nightmare started," he explained, for once answering the question directed at him. He turned to look at Touma. "Pariah was the one who ordered the attack on Academy City. It's the reason Rika died. It's why so many espers and Anti-Skill soldiers died."

He spread his arms out and gestured to everything. "Pariah was behind all this. And now I know where it is."

"You keep calling Pariah an 'it'," the doctor observed. "Is this some sort of collective hive mind formed from the viruses?"

Alex paused. "It's…similar, yes. Like its mother, Pariah has a link to its Infected, save for the Evolved. Complications existed with merging them with the hive mind. Pariah, however, is an 'it' because it has forsaken all sense of humanity. Where there was once a human child now lies an abomination. I don't know if it was a Prototype from the start, but Ares' memories definitely portray it as one."

His audience fell silent, prompting him to continue.

"Pariah invaded the clone's mind, and well…brainwashed it, so to speak. The clone was turned against me, and in a final act of rebellion, it threw away the name of Alex Mercer, and called itself Ares. Over time, however, Ares realized that Pariah was just fattening him. When Ares reached a level of power that posed a significant threat to Pariah, it would consume him and evolve using his DNA. In short; Pariah didn't plan on sharing its seat of power with its second in command. Ares was just a food source that Pariah was taking its time in preparing."

Realization was beginning to dawn on their faces.

Ale took a final breath as he prepared to explain the final part of his story. "Without my memories and the DNA that made me who I was, there was little left but a shell. A sort of…hollow remnant of myself. This, as you've probably guessed, was—"

"Siren," Mikoro breathed.

Alex responded with a nod. "Yes. Siren was what was left of me without my memories and DNA. Siren Mercer was a fake name, and his face was just a mask. Now that I have all my memories, I'm me again. I'm Alex Mercer once more."

He took a step back, crossing his arms over his chest. "So there you have it. That's the story of how Siren Mercer came to be. Eventually, I ended up in Academy City, and you all know the rest."

He supposed that he could have been a little softer in his explanation. After all, the people in the room had just realized that the person they had befriended, to an extent, was little more than a disguise than no longer needed to be used. Alex realized that his existence alone was already causing people pain, and he had been in possession of his memories for no more than what must have been a few hours.

_Not even a day since I woke up and I'm already making people miserable. Seems as though nothing's changed._

"I-I don't know what to say," Mikoro whispered more to herself than to those around her. Alex knew that she had been the closest to Siren, to _him_. And now that he was whole again, he had robbed her of her friend. But that didn't matter. The emotions of those around him would come second. Stopping Pariah was the top priority.

"We need to wrap this up," Alex barked. "With each passing second, Pariah has the chance to begin consuming its own Evolved. If it begins devouring on a massive scale, all this would have been for nothing. If I can't stop Pariah, everyone who died here died for nothing."

Alex turned to the doctor. "I assume Aleister found a way to listen in on the entire conversation?" The doctor hesitated before nodding. Alex relaxed upon hearing that. "Then…then it's done. My role in Academy City has been fulfilled, and the time to move on has come."

Alex breathed in once more. Not long from now, he'd be on his way to New York. Back to the city that had been his 'birthplace'. Not long from now…

He'd be leaving Academy City.

** A/N: Yes, next chapter will have Alex Mercer's final moments in Academy City. I don't plan on using the entire chapter to detail his departure, but it'll at least start at that. Now then, on to the Explanations/Clarifications:**

** Alex's Behavior: Yes, I knew he was being a jerk, but let's be honest here; does Alex Mercer **_**really**_** strike any of you as a nice guy? He isn't what one would call 'friendly', and in a situation like this, one that he considers to be dire, he'd be itching and twitching to fight Pariah (not because he's addicted to battle, but because he understands the risk of letting Pariah run amok for too long; every second counts). **

** Siren as Alex: So now comes the explanation for what was basically the inner struggle of the main character. The big question here is: why bother having the whole 'Siren is Alex' plot in the first place? The answer is fairly simple. The main characters of the To Aru series are mostly teenagers. Alex Mercer is technically a grown man. Let's put this into perspective: imagine a grown man interacting with what amounts to middle and early high school kids. Making 'meaningful' interactions between them would have led to some fairly awkward scenarios. I could have made Alex a fatherly type character to them, but that wouldn't have lined up with his character **_**at all**_**. Siren was originally meant to be an OC that had little to no relation to Alex Mercer, but I quickly realized I loved Alex too much as a character to replace him entirely. So, I gave him an excuse to appear in the form of a teenager—that excuse being the whole conflict where he made a clone, etc. etc. Of course, to avoid giving away the fact that Siren and Alex were one and the same right from the beginning, I changed up Sire's appearance so that he wouldn't necessarily look like Alex. That way, he felt a little more like his own person, and I think it helped give the idea that Siren was confused about his own true identity because while he felt like his own person, he still felt a lot like Alex Mercer. **


	52. Chapter 52

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**A/N: Alright, it seems as though I lied. Last chapter, I said that this chapter would contain Alex's departure, as well as some other stuff. However, I realized that ending the chapter with him leaving Academy City just felt too perfect. So, instead of throwing in a bunch of filler, I just decided to shorten the chapter by about a thousand words so that I could end with the scene of him actually leaving. I don't think I'll bother making any more predictions or announcements about future chapters since I clearly can't stick to my own schedule.**

**GUEST: Not sure if sarcasm or not…**

**HARLEY QUINN-PSYCHOTICANTIHERO: Yeah, I agree with you on that. While I prefer the original's atmosphere, both of the Prototype games are very enjoyable. **

**Chapter 52 **

**Departure**

Alex stood at the balcony, looking out over the area around the hospital. Anti-Skill had begun advancing, expanding the boarders of the 'safe zone'. With the Evolved and Ares gone, the Infected were simply incapable of stopping Anti-Skill.

For the time being, it seemed as though Academy City was in the clear. Or at least, they were rapidly approaching the point where they could say that they were safely out of the woods. Alex crossed his arms, shutting his eyes and inhaling the air one last time. This was the last time he'd see Academy City for a LONG time.

If he survived the encounter with Pariah, he wasn't entirely sure what he'd do with his life. Most likely, he'd spend the rest of his days hunting down the remaining Infected. And if that didn't kill him, he had no idea what he'd do.

"Alexander," Aleister said in his ear. The mysterious man had taken to calling Alex by the lengthier version of his name—a habit that he didn't mind or care for. Alex's hand reached up to the earpiece that he had been forced to wear for the remainder of his stay in the city.

"What is it?" he rasped.

"It's almost done. Your plane should be ready within half an hour," the man replied. Alex found himself nodding in approval. Since conventional travel by a public plane would take too long, and since a private jet would take too long to simply set up, Aleister had taken it upon himself to provide a way for Alex to quickly and efficiently leave Academy City.

That and he probably wanted Alex gone sooner rather than later.

Alex didn't really care what Aleister's motivations were. The point was that Aleister was almost done arranging a private flight for him on a small plane. Of course, since Alex was capable of flying the aircraft, he had insisted that he be the one to fly it. The original pilot had been relieved of his duties and was free to go, leaving Alex with a quick, untraceable, and nearly undetectable plane.

If all went well, he'd be in the United States of America within no time and without anyone noticing his approach. Where he would land and disembark had yet to be firmly decided, but he had ideas, as did Aleister.

***Page Break***

Touma grinned at Mikoto as the girl began walking. As far as their group could tell, she would be ok. Ares hadn't inflicted any permanent damage upon her, instead leaving her unconscious and a little shaken, but otherwise seemingly alright.

The entire situation was beginning to brighten. Anti-Skill was advancing, slowly pushing back the Infected that had overrun the city and making room for humans to regain control. The people themselves, despite not being entirely aware of just what it was that had attacked their city, had sensed the sensed the change in the soldiers. Their eyes were brighter, their smiles more sincere, and soon, the news had begun to spread.

The invaders' leader was gone. The remaining army was without a head and without spirit.

The survivors of the invasion of Academy City were up almost instantly, roaring with joy. The once dead eyes of the citizens were practically glowing with newfound hope and life. Everyone was giving every last ounce of their energy to help Judgment and Anti-Skill in whatever way they could. Women who could cook helped to serve the soldiers better meals while able-bodied men helped with the heavier lifting.

The espers that didn't partake in the attack on Ares were up and about, lending their strengths were they could, while the survivors of the battle with Ares were getting some well-deserved rest.

Kuroko, who was still too injured to walk, was being pushed around in a wheelchair by Mikoto. Despite her injuries, the girl was grinning and giving verbal support to everyone she could see. It was honestly one of the best moods Touma had ever seen her in. He could see why, though. Her home was on the path to being retaken, and she had played a big part in defending it.

On top of that, both she and her close friend had survived potentially fatal encounters with one of the most dangerous enemies either of them had ever faced. Indeed, Touma could see why she was in such a good mood. However, just like the rest of their group, there was a hint of sadness in their eyes, a hint that was nearly undetectable.

They had lost a comrade to the enemy that day. Kazari Rika.

Touma hadn't known the girl for very long, but he was sure that she was a good person at heart; one that would fight for what she believed in and to protect those she loved. Touma felt his fists clench slightly at the memory of what happened to Rika, but he knew that there simply wasn't time to mourn. Not right now. If Academy City was going to finish this race, it would need all the help it could get.

The time to mourn would come, but first, there was a city to be reclaimed.

_And a certain sapient virus that we should go see before he leaves._

Touma had mixed impressions of Alex Mercer. If anything, he was at least stronger than Siren. Much stronger. But his personality felt a little different. The most noticeable thing was that he was so much more…intimidating.

Which was exactly why Touma gulped as the they approached Alex. He was currently sitting on a bench, patiently waiting for Aleister to tell him when the plane was ready to go. Until that time came, however, he was just sitting here.

Beside Touma, Index walked along, happily munching on a muffin she had retrieved from…somewhere. Behind him, Mikoto was pushing Kuroko along in her wheelchair, and beside her, Mikoro calmly walked along. Despite this, Touma could see that the girl was distressed. She had acted differently ever since Alex had made himself known, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why.

Mikoro had lost a close friend. Not to death, but to something else. Siren wasn't dead; he was just gone. Alex had replaced Siren, so it became clear that Siren no longer existed. That meant Mikoro would never be able to see him again—not in this life, or in what lay beyond.

Alex didn't react when they approached. Instead, he continued staring at the ground, his eyes unblinking and his chest missing the steady rise and fall that indicated breathing. If it weren't for the fact that the group knew he had no need of air, they would have assumed he was dead.

"Need something?" Alex grunted without looking up. Touma looked between the others before letting out a slight cough into his fist. "We, uh, sorta came to…see you off. You know, in honor of Siren and what he did in the fight for Academy City."

Alex remained silent before nodding in understanding. Meanwhile, Mikoto stood there, silently glaring at the hooded man. Ever since she had heard his name, she had been curious about something. Something that involved a dead friend of hers.

"Hey," Mikoto called to Alex. "Rika was consumed by Ares, who was consumed by Siren, who proceeded to become _you_. That means that Rika is somewhere in you. Her memoires, her DNA, all of it; you have it, don't you?"

Alex paused and turned to the group, his eyes settling on Mikoto. He regarded her for a second before his gaze shifted back down to the ground. "I do."

Mikoto crossed her arms. "Siren," she began. 

"It's Al—"

"I don't care. To me, you're still Siren," she snapped. "I don't care if you've matured or whatever; to me, you'll always be Siren Mercer. Now, there's something I'd like to know. Rika mentioned Alex Mercer—_you_, apparently—killed her father. Is this true?"

Alex remained silent for a few seconds before sighing. "I don't know. I don't have the man's memories, so that means that I didn't consume him, and out in the field, Blackwatch has uniforms for its soldiers that cover them up enough to make them unrecognizable. If I killed Rika's father, then I didn't recognize him or target him. Rika's memories don't portray him as one with a position of power, and I don't remember hearing his name anywhere."

He turned to Mikoto. "In short; if I did, I wouldn't know it."

The electric esper glared at him, no doubt angry that he may have been the cause for the death of her friend's father. However, she also couldn't be sure, and she had no intention of starting fights when the fight with Ares had just ended.

"Accelerator is on his way back, just so you know," Alex commented. "Aleister has already called him back, so you should expect reinforcements from the strongest esper around." His words had mixed reactions. Worry and relief passed over the faces of most present, save for Alex and Index, as the information sank in. Accelerator was powerful, but at times, uncontrollable.

Mikoto frowned at the thought of Accelerator returning.

_I'm not too sure about this but…we need all the help we can get, what with Siren leaving and all._

Suddenly, Alex jerked as though some unseen force began interacting with him, his hand reaching up to his earpiece. Touma opened his mouth, only beginning to formulate a sentence when Alex held up his hand, signaling for him to be quiet. For a few seconds, Alex did little more than nod and offer the occasional 'uh huh'. Finally, he lowered his hand and turned to the group.

"That was Aleister. My ride out of Academy City is ready," he informed them. Slowly, he stood up, craning his neck and stretching his arms. "I guess…I guess this is it," he said with a little hesitation in his voice. The others stood there awkwardly as they muttered a series of 'yes's' and 'I guess so's'.

Then, Mikoro stepped forwards. "Siren," she began unsurely. "I know that you're a bit different now, what with all this 'Alex Mercer business'."

Alex made no comment as he watched her. "But," she continued. "I'm glad I got to meet you…heh, it feels like it's been ages and now…h-here we are," he voice cracked slightly, as did her resolve. She looked up to Alex with an expression that he couldn't quite understand. It was definitely sad, but there were other emotions mixed in with it. He could see anger in her eyes. Anger at him for destroying her friendship. He could also see regret in her eyes—most likely regret at losing her friend.

In short; she wasn't pleased with him in the slightest.

"Good luck against Pariah," she whispered. And just like that, it was broken. The strange mask was gone, replaced by a look of misery as the revelation fully set in. At least, Alex assumed that was the cause of her strange behavior. He could think of nothing else.

He offered them a slight nod before he turned around, looking off into the direction he knew he'd have to go to reach his plane. He took a step forward before turning around one last time.

"…Goodbye," he said not unkindly.

And with that, Alex Mercer turned and walked away.

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** Short Chapter: Read the author's note at the top.**


	53. Chapter 53

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**CAPTAINTOAST321: It'll probably be a while until you see this answer, but I think I agree with you. Looking back on it, having Siren as the only OC in the story may have been a better course of action. Oh well, I'll just have to learn from my mistakes for future stories.**

**MYTHFAN: Thank you.**

**THAQIF: It kinda does, yeah, but at the same time, it opens the possibilities of Siren being an imperfect clone or an illegitimate child of Alex Mercer. Basically, there were a few possible things he could have been, and making him look like a younger version of Alex would make it a little too obvious. **

**Chapter 53**

**Pariah**

Alex quickly glanced around him as he observed the sight before him. The memories inherited from Ares told him that what he was currently looking at was the Yellow Zone.

Or what was left of it.

The zone was deserted, completely empty of human life. Viral outgrowths had sprung up on structures and from the road, and Infected roamed the streets. He remembered Blackwatch and Gentek setting up shop in the area, but now, they were gone, their presence reduced to nothing. In the back of his mind, he had always assumed that Blackwatch and Gentek would fail at containing the viruses and that the Infected would eventually overrun them.

It seemed as though he was right.

Alex looked off into the distance. His eyes narrowed when he saw it; the Red Zone. Out of the three zones, it was by far the most dangerous, and by far the most warped. He could see clouds of red vapor rising from the city. Smoke rose up from the buildings, mingling with the red mist as it reached for the sky, creating an eerie image of a ruined city. The buildings themselves were broken and bent, obviously straining to stand upright after the torture they had been put through.

Even from here, Alex could see just what sort of nightmare the city had been reduced to. Academy City may have been put to the test, but it was nothing compared to…compared to _this_. "And _this_ is where Pariah is hiding," Alex muttered to himself. Within the confines of New York City sat the creature that was pulling the strings. Within that city sat Pariah itself.

It had been over a day since he had left Academy City. The plane Aleister had provided had come without any traps or strings attached, as far as he could tell. He had landed out in the middle of nowhere, far away from human civilization. He had destroyed the plane after he was done with it to ensure that no evidence was left behind before proceeding to hide the remains. It may have taken longer than he liked, but at least he had hidden the evidence.

And now here he was, back where his journey had begun. The ones that he had called friends as Siren were back in Academy City, dealing with the aftermath of the invasion, and from what he had heard, a certain white-haired esper had returned to deal with the remaining Infected.

Alex jumped into the air, sailing across a vast distance, aiming his feet at a rooftop as he descended. His feet slammed into the rooftop before he leapt off again, soaring through the air as he rapidly approached the bridge that would serve as his gateway to the Red Zone. Once he got there, all he'd have to do was find Pariah and deal with the creature. If he could consume it, he should be able to overpower the remaining Infected. Pariah would be able to call upon its Evolved during battle—a fact that Alex was particularly concerned about. Ares hadn't known the exact number of Evolved that had been created, but he knew there were a lot.

How many more Evolved had been produced during Ares' absence? How many had actually _stayed _in the city? Alex shook his head shortly before he slammed into another rooftop. He leapt off the structure and continued to his destination. Outwardly, Alex appeared calm, but on the inside, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

How would he handle Pariah? What would he do about the Evolved that may or may not enter the fight? What _could_ he do about them? If Pariah attacked, his attention would be focused on combating it, but that would leave him exposed to attacks from the Evolved…

_This is insanity. Too many variables—one big picture made up of thousands of smaller ones._

Sitting back and formulating an intricate plan would give Pariah a chance to consume more biomass and accumulate more unique DNA. Alex wasn't sure if he had entirely closed the gap between himself and Pariah, but he had no intention of allowing the gap to grow. A swift attack had been in order, and now here he was.

Alex's foot crushed a wall as he jumped off it. The bridge was far closer now, almost within jumping distance. Once across, he'd be in the Red Zone, where Pariah awaited him. Once more, Alex landed on a rooftop before making a final leap that took him all the way to the bridge. He rolled as he landed, moving across the bridge with one smooth motion before he was on his feet once more, sprinting past the various overturned vehicles that still lined the structure.

He shoved Infected out of his path as he moved until he came to a gap in the bridge. Without stopped, his powerful legs bent and he jumped, leaping through the air as he crossed the gap with ease. He landed without fail and kept running. He could sense a change in the air—the scents were different and there was a foul smell filling his nostrils. The Red Zone was becoming less of a looming presence on the horizon and more of a place—one that he was currently entering.

The viral outgrowths on the street began intensifying as he left the Yellow Zone behind him and approached the Red Zone. The amount of Infected had suddenly dropped after crossing the gap in the bridge, but now, it was steadily growing. Infected became a more common site, and before long the viral outgrowths were covering the entire street. He could see cars that had been completely absorbed by the viral matter, and on occasion, he could see bodies that were melded into the fleshy outgrowths.

This felt like an entirely different planet. The air was wrong, the sounds were foreign, and the sights were nothing like those he had seen in the rest of the world. No, this place didn't even feel like Earth. Such was the influence of the Infected.

Alex gritted his teeth as he moved, flawlessly weaving through obstacles that marked his path. His own experience, coupled with that of the Evolved and Ares, had taught him how to avoid running into objects even when moving at such high speeds. Suddenly, his head jerked up when he caught signs of movement on the rooftops. Eyes narrowing, Alex moved to his right and jumped onto a wall, running in a diagonal line as he moved forward and ascended at the same time.

Eventually, he found himself above most other rooftops in the area, and with a quick, practiced scan, he made sure that there were no Evolved on the rooftops. Of course, there was the occasional group of Infected, which made spotting an Evolved even harder, as they could just pretend to be a mindless Infected stumbling about.

The city seemed dangerously quiet. The Infected were making their usual noise, but Ares' memories painted this city as a much louder setting. He should be hearing Evolved running about all over the place, talking and fulfilling assignments handed out by Pariah. However, they all seemed…absent.

Something was amiss, and Alex was becoming more and more unsure of his next course of action. Finally, he came to the center of the Red Zone, and there, he saw it. Amongst the countless twisted and warped buildings in the Red Zone, there was one that stood lower than the rest. Red and black tentacles had grown all along the building until they rose from the back it, winding together to form a gargantuan viral structure. On the rooftop of this small building, standing at the base of the viral structure, was a figure, arms crossed and head held up as it stared at Alex.

This had to be it.

Alex wasted no time in diving to the building, holding his arms at his sides to gather more speed. He landed with a crash, sending bits of the rooftop flying into various directions. Slowly, he stood up, straightening and rising to his full height as he stared at the creature before him.

The most notable thing was the grey skin. The skin had lost its warmth and had a grey tinge to it, creating a very alien feel. The short hair was of a similar color, but a little darker. It was more prominent than the skin, taking on a fuller grey color.

The second most notable feature had to have been its eyes. Like Ares', they glowed an uncanny red, but unlike Ares, they lacked the burning fury, the sheer hate that the Prototype had possessed. No, these eyes were calm, and they revealed a far more collected nature than Ares. Besides the strange color of the hair, skin, and eyes, it looked fairly normal. The creature didn't look like a monster or hideous abomination; it looked like a man.

It was even dressed like one too. Black pants with a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top were the items of clothing worn by the creature. On top of the shirt, it wore a large, plain black jacket. Alex could definitely see how one could confuse this creature for a man.

But he knew better.

"Pariah," he acknowledged in an emotionless tone. For the first time since he had seen it, the creature showed a reaction to his presence. A small smile appeared on its face as it looked at him, revealing a set of fairly normal teeth.

"ZEUS," it said. "We finally meet." The voice was exactly as Ares' memories painted it; it sounded similar to Elizabeth Greene's in the sense that it was layered with other voices. "I finally meet the one who killed my mother."

Alex stared at Pariah, keeping both eyes fixed upon the creature, but still keeping track of his surroundings. Pariah had its arms crossed, but now, it put them down, holding them behind its back as it looked Alex up and down. "You are…exactly as I expected you to be," said Pariah. "I've…researched you," it continued. "At least the reports of your appearance weren't lies. I would have been…disappointed had I found that my sources were faulty."

Alex glared at Pariah before crossing his arms. "You've been around since Hope, Idaho. Where…where have you been all this time?"

Pariah offered him another one of its cold smiles. "That's not for you to know," it all but whispered. Alex bent his knees slightly as Pariah took a step forward. "All that time I spent alone. Blackwatch and Gentek separated me from Mother, and before I could find her, you killed her." Pariah shook its head. "How disappointing. I had hoped to meet her one day."

` Pariah took another step forwards. "Tell me, ZEUS," it began. "You consumed Ares, did you not?"

Alex didn't reply. Pariah only chuckled with that twisted voice of its. "As I expected. You wouldn't have come here if you weren't powerful enough to survive the encounter, and to do that, you'd probably need Ares."

"You don't sound surprised or worried," Alex commented. "You sound almost as though you expected this. Why?"

Pariah cocked its head slightly. "You ask many questions. Questions that you don't need the answers to."

"Where are the other Evolved?" Alex asked, ignoring the previous statements. "Pariah rolled its eyes ever so slightly.

"Watching. Waiting. Learning," Pariah replied. "They see us, and they learn from us. They study our actions and try to further themselves by watching." Alex resisted the urge to begin looking around for the Evolved that may or may not have actually been there; taking his eyes off Pariah might have been the biggest mistake of his life. "But," Pariah continued. "They won't interfere."

Alex frowned, to which Pariah responded by holding its head slightly higher. "Many of the Evolved know who you are and they know of your reputation among Blackwatch and Gentek. You're something of a legend to them." Pariah shook his head in disapproval. "I can't have that. We grow stronger every day, and the stronger the Evolved grow, the stronger I must grow to keep them in line."

Alex's lips pulled back in a snarl as he attempted to understand it all. How much of Pariah's words to Ares were lies? How much were completely true? At this point, Alex wasn't entirely sure he even understood Pariah's plan and ultimate goal.

"Answer me this," he growled. "Just what do you plan on doing? Memories say that you plan on using my DNA to help the Evolved become Prototypes, but if you do that, they'd be that much stronger. What's your plan here?"

Pariah just shook its head. "Again, you seek answers that you have no business seeking."

Alex's fists clenched.

_Of course Pariah won't tell me. The only way I'm going to figure out what's going on inside that mind of its is to rip those memories out myself._

On one hand, Alex speculated that Pariah indeed planned on creating Prototypes, but not until it had used him to make itself inconceivably stronger than the Evolved. As powerful as they were, the Evolved couldn't hope to take on all of humanity as they were. No, they needed to be stronger, and the strongest they could get while remaining within manageable parameters was to become Prototypes while Pariah ascended to something more.

On the other hand, it was possible that Pariah was doing the same thing with the Evolved as it was with Ares; fattening them. It could just be feeding them exactly what they needed to grow strong before it devours them by itself. That way, Pariah would gain power beyond that of any other individual on Earth.

His eyes narrowed as he glared at the grey-skinned being before him. Pariah, meanwhile, studied him in return, eyeing him up and down as it attempted to analyze him to the best of its abilities. Finally, their eyes met once more. So many questions flew through his head; what had Pariah been doing all this time? What exactly happened at Hope, Idaho so long ago? What were the details? What was Pariah? Had it always been a Prototype? Had it found a way to become one?

"ZEUS," Pariah calmly addressed him. "Here's a question for you; why do you refuse to join us? We are of your own flesh and blood, practically family, and yet you side with an inferior species. Why?"

This time, Alex held his head up higher. "You seek answers that you have no business seeking," he parroted. "My reasons are my own."

Pariah studied him for a few more seconds before it gave a small shrug in response. "I suppose you are right. However, there is one thing I hope you would answer." Pariah leaned forward, allowing a shadow to fall over its eyes as it stared at him. "What exactly was Ares trying to accomplish? He didn't consume the Evolved I sent with him—I know because I never received a transmission from them—and it seems as though you did it instead. What exactly was he trying to do?"

Alex frowned at Pariah. This information didn't seem all that valuable…"He…wanted me to consume them first," Alex began. "Ares was afraid that if he attempted to consume any of the Evolved, at least one of them would radio back in and inform you that Ares was a traitor. He wanted me to consume them so that he could consume me and receive all the unique DNA at once. That way, his traitorous actions wouldn't have been uncovered until after he was powerful enough to stand up to you."

Pariah frowned. "I…see. And I assume you plan to keep any other details to yourself?"

Alex nodded. Pariah only shook its head. "Well then, I'll just have to take those memories myself, won't I?"

There it was. Alex now knew that Pariah had the intention of killing him and consuming him. He now knew for sure that losing to Pariah here would lead to a future filled with unfavorable results. Unless humanity could stand up to an empowered Pariah and its Prototype army, they would perish, reduced to a food source along with every other biological entity on Earth.

The Infected would always be hungry, and one by one, the species of Earth would be devoured to the point of extinction. Self destruction may become imminent unless the Evolved found a way to create a food source from what they already had. If they found an efficient way to clone, they'd have an infinite food source, for example.

Alex's hands transformed into Claws as he prepared for battle. "This ends here, Pariah," he rasped.

Pariah responded by mirroring his movements, creating a set of Claws of its own. "Indeed…it will."

Both fighters charged.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Nothin' to see here.**


	54. Chapter 54

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

**Chapter 54**

**Men Like Gods**

Alex slammed his foot into the ground and spun, reaching out with his Claws, the bladed digits spreading out for a deadly swipe. Pariah reached out with its left arm, catching Alex's attack before lurching forwards and slamming its head into his chest. Alex stumbled back, regaining his balance in a split second, but by then, Pariah was already on the move. A vicious swipe was aimed at his head, forcing him to duck to avoid decapitation.

Pariah's knee was already rushing up to meet his face as he ducked, but Alex's hands shot out, his Claws digging into Pariah's leg. His back leg reached behind him for leverage and he pulled back with a grunt, lifting Pariah off balance and into the air. Alex spun around, throwing Pariah over his head and sending the creature flying across the rooftop. It recovered almost instantly, slamming its feet into the rooftop and jumping off into the air.

Before Alex could follow, Pariah was already diving down at him with a pair of large, spiked Hammerfists aimed at him. Alex dove off the rooftop, gliding through the air while sparing a glance over his shoulder as Pariah landed. Its landing demolished the top of the building, causing the roof to cave in and collapse. A figure darted out of the rising smoke and dust, moving so fast that Alex had to snap his head to the side to follow its movements. Pariah landed on the wall of a building and bounced off, tackling Alex midair and sending the two of them flying through the air straight into another building.

They crashed through the wall in a ball of limbs and Claws, rolling across the floor before Pariah kicked Alex off, slamming him through a biomass-covered pillar that held part of the ceiling up. Alex was thrown off balance momentarily as he crashed through the support beam, giving Pariah the opportunity to throw its massive Hammerfist at his head.

Alex dropped to the floor, reaching out with his Claws for Pariah's still-moving feet. The elder Prototype responded by taking a massive step, its legs stretching beyond human limits as it avoided his grasp. Rather than chase it, Alex sprang forward, rocketing out of the building and back into the eerie red light that covered the city. As he flew back outside, he twisted in the air, turning back and watching as Pariah stepped out into the hole that had been created when the two of them slammed through the wall.

A dark Blade was hanging off its right arm as it stepped into view. It craned its neck before leaping into the air, high above Alex. It flipped forwards, aiming the back end of its Blade at Alex as it plummeted towards him. He lurched to the side, propelling himself out of the way as Pariah fell past him. He caught a glimpse of its emotionless stare as it eyed him.

It was like a split personality; in battle, all forms of human emotion evaporated form Pariah, leaving a living killing machine.

The moment was broken as Pariah's eyes passed out of his field of view, and Alex found himself frantically spinning to keep his eyes on Pariah. The creature was already on the move, its feet narrowly missing the window of opportunity to escape Alex's gaze. He caught sight of them as Pariah passed beneath him as he fell to the ground. Before he could react, however, something slammed into his back.

He grunted as he felt Pariah drive its shoulder into the spot just below his neck. Alex was flung forwards, but spread his arms and began gliding to stabilize himself. His arms were both transforming into Whipfists, and by the time he had gained enough control to fall to a rooftop, he had both weapons at the ready. He spun on his heel as he landed, stretching out his arms and letting his Whipfists fly, both rapidly approaching Pariah as it fell to a nearby rooftop.

The fist Whipfist was deflected with a hastily-formed Shield, while the second forced Pariah to raise its Blade for a block. The Whipfist bounced off the massive weapon, but the act of raising the Blade obscured Pariah's view of Alex. The hooded Prototype took advantage of this and moved instantly, transforming his right arm as he activated the Tendrils power he received from Ares.

Red and black tentacles leapt from his palm and rocketed towards Pariah, slamming into the being before it had a chance to react. The force behind the attack sent Pariah skidding backwards for several meters before it came to a stop, the back of its feet centimeters away from the edge of the rooftop. Alex's free hand was mirroring the movements of the first; transforming as the Tendrils power was activated and shooting forth half a dozen red and black tentacles.

The new batch of tentacles slammed into the building Pariah was standing on, drilling through it and causing it to cave in. Pariah momentarily lost its footing as the building began collapsing, but still managed to leap out of danger. Alex, meanwhile, dove into the dust and smoke kicked up by the falling building, landing on the ground with a crash before his whole body began writhing with tentacles.

He stumbled around as tentacles swarmed across him, crawling into place and solidifying with metallic clicking sounds. Finally, Alex stood at his full height, dressed in the Armor Ares had worn. It was a risky move, seeing as it slowed him down, but the added protection would help him tank Pariah's attacks.

The only issue was that Ares had a massive boost to his biomass prior to their fight. _His_ Armor was supercharged and capable of withstanding massive blows like it was nothing. That had been why he didn't activate it later on after he lost it; the biomass required to make the impervious Armor was more than Ares could provide, and anything less wouldn't have been enough and would have just slowed him down.

This, however, wasn't the same as Ares' Armor. While the appearance was nearly identical, Alex's Armor wasn't as powerful as that which Ares had worn. However, because of the massive increase to strength and speed he had received from consuming Ares, he could wear it with a smaller loss in speed. The Armor would provide a layer of protection that would help withstand Pariah's Claw and Whipfist attacks to a greater extent, but the loss in speed might come back to bite him…

Oh well, he could always 'take off' the Armor.

Alex bent his legs and leapt into the air, taking a small note of the bit of extra effort required to do so. His feet slammed into the wall of another building and he leapt off, quickly crossing the distance towards another building and repeating the action. Before he knew it, he was on a rooftop, his head frantically spinning around as he searched for Pariah. He spotted a figure darting around through the smoke and immediately—

He whirled around as he felt a rush of air.

He stared into Pariah's eyes as it raised both Hammerfists above its head. Before he could react, the mace-like appendages came down upon his head, flattening his body against the rooftop from the force of the hit. The structure groaned in protest as Pariah slammed its Hammerfist down on Alex again. He pushed his body up, intent on standing and fighting back, but the action proved a mistake as Pariah took the opportunity to throw a violent uppercut at Alex's head as he tried to rise.

The hit sent him spinning backwards as his body responded to the force put upon it. He recovered quickly, spreading his limbs in a glide as he steadied himself. Pariah was already upon him, but Alex was ready. His arms came up, forming a pair of Shields, one on each arm, with speed that Pariah clearly didn't expect.

These were Ares' Shields. The punch Pariah threw came into contact with the first of the Shields, and Alex pushed back, willing massive spikes to extend from the protective barrier as they tore into Pariah. It was knocked back by the maneuver and began falling to the ground, but flipped in the air, landing with a tremendous crash as its weight crushed the street beneath it.

Alex noticed movement from the corner of his eye and realized that he had made the foolish mistake of confusing one of the Evolved that was on the move with Pariah itself.

_Note to self; Evolved moving around in the background. Not to be confused with Pariah._

Pariah was rising to its feet as Alex landed on the ground dozens of meters away. It frowned at him as it studied him once more. Wordlessly, its legs bent as it slid back into a combat position, its arms slowly rising into the air as it held its Hammerfists high once more. Suddenly, Pariah slammed its fists into the ground, creating a massive shockwave. The ground shook as massive red and black spikes erupted from the earth in a circular pattern around Pariah. The fleshy red biomass that covered the street was ripped apart as the spikes arose, creating an odd looking net as tendrils of the biomass stuck to the spikes and were lifted from the ground.

Alex sprang backwards, putting distance between himself and Pariah to avoid being impaled. The spikes began retracting as Pariah began rising to its full height until all that was left was Pariah standing in the midst of the absolute carnage it had caused.

Alex activated the Tendrils power he had received from Ares, his arms taking the same shape as those of his previous enemy. With a grunt he brought his arms together and launched a set of intertwined tendrils at Pariah. The grey-skinned creature rolled out of the way before breaking into a full-on sprint almost instantly after it came to a stop. Alex yanked his tendrils back into his arms as Pariah rapidly approached, its Blade forming on its arm.

The second the tendrils had retracted, Alex formed his own Blade and charged. The two crashed towards each other, the ground cracking and groaning beneath their weight. They met with a thunderous crash as their Blades connected, sparks flying through the air as the metallic substances the weapons were composed of scraped against each other.

Alex leaned forward, putting all his weight behind his Blade while Pariah did the same. His free hand began taking the shape of a Hammerfist even as Pariah formed a Shield. Alex grunted as he swung his enlarged fist at Pariah, only to have it blocked by the Shield. Their legs kicked out periodically and smacked against each other as both fighters attempted to knock the other off his feet.

They circled each other as they moved, legs and arms lashing out and about as they met repeatedly. Alex quickly formed a single Shield and swiped it out in front of him, forcing Pariah to backpedal and give Alex a chance to slide back before lurching forwards, holding his Blade out parallel to the ground in a stabbing motion.

Pariah dodged out of the way, but Alex had already spun around and repeated the attack, this time catching Pariah on the elbow. The Blade tore through the flesh, but the arm stayed connected. The biomass limb began healing even as Alex turned for another attack, but Pariah was already moving. It sprang out of the way, diving to the side as Alex sliced through the air that occupied the space Pariah had been in a moment ago.

Countless years' worth of memories screamed at him to move, and Alex did just that. He dove out of the way as Pariah flipped forward for momentum, swinging its Blade down on the spot where he had stood. Alex rolled across the flesh-covered street, not stopping as his body rose and whirled around to face Pariah.

He was met with a Whipfist to the throat.

He gagged as the bladed tip of the weapon burrowed into his flesh, even though it was slowed down considerably by the Amor. Pariah yanked on its end of the Whipfist, bringing Alex forwards as he stumbled and fell on his face in front of Pariah's feet. Pariah's foot slammed on top of his head, crushing it against the street. The Armor helped absorb the blow, and Alex was moving sooner than Pariah had anticipated. His hands transformed into Claws as he lashed out, groping at Pariah's legs.

The grey-skinned creature danced away, narrowly avoiding Alex's grasp, but giving him the opportunity to stand once more. Tendrils formed on his arms as he pointed his palms at two random buildings, one on each side of him. Tentacles leapt from his hands, rushing over to the buildings he had pointed at and drilled into them, unbalancing and destabilizing them.

Pariah blinked before realizing what Alex was doing and rushing out of the way. Alex directed his tentacle to pull down the buildings, much like Ares had done in Academy City. The structures began collapsing, knocking down other buildings as it all came crashing down. Alex began running before his tentacles even finished retracting, creating quite the odd sight. He was out of the way before the buildings fully collapsed, and from where he was, he could hear surprised shouts and exclamations from the Evolved that had been watching.

He glanced at the carnage he had caused, noting the figures darting about in the smoke as they attempted to find new hiding places. Quickly, he allowed the Armor to fade from his body as he sprang into the smoke, all while taking a random form as he jumped in. He spotted the nearest Evolved and followed it, carefully tracing its movements and attempted to seem as inconspicuous as possible.

Eventually, the Evolved leapt through a building, unaware that Alex was following it in his disguised form. The two crashed in through the window, rolling to a stop. Alex jerked up, immediately noticing the Evolved standing behind the windows as they looked outside, searching for him and their leader.

A few glanced at him, but otherwise remained indifferent. There were six Evolved in the room, as far as he could tell. Slowly rising, Alex walked over to one of the windows and peered out, searching for signs of Pariah. He made sure his back was against a wall and that he could still see all the other Evolved in the room as he looked for his target. It was rather difficult, attempting to blend in and pay attention to all that was happening outside while keeping an eye on all the others in the room. It was made even more difficult with all the questions running through his mind.

_How many Evolved are there out here? Are ALL of them hiding in the buildings, watching Pariah and I fight? Do they stay in one area and hope and wait for the fight to come to them?_

He almost flinched when one of the Evolved scratched his arm, the movement itself causing Alex to nearly panic.

_ How am I going to play this one?_

"Where's Mercer?" hissed one of the Evolved. "I don't see him."

Outside, Alex was catching glimpses of Pariah as it zoomed around the battlefield, searching for him. He fought the urge to use his Infected Vision to see how many Evolved were watching. Activating his powers would draw attention to him, and he didn't know how long it would be until one of the Evolved would notice that they had never seen him around here.

His fingers twitched when he saw Pariah had stopped moving and landed atop a building, scanning the ground before it. He wondered how long it would be until Pariah realized that he was hiding amongst the Evolved.

Suddenly, Pariah's arms transformed into Hammerfists and it hit its knuckles together once. Twice. Three time. His eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, and he failed to notice the Evolved giving uneasy looks to each other.

"So," one of the Evolved began, tearing his attention away from Pariah—as well as Alex's. "Spawn?"

_What?_

"Six," replied an Evolved, cutting off another that was about to speak.

"Eight," said the Evolved who was cut off.

"One," continued the third.

"Two," finished a fourth. With that, all six Evolved craned their necks to the side.

_What the fuck?_

When Alex failed to do the same, one of the Evolved immediately noticed. Alex's dumfounded expression was all he needed to see. Before Alex could react, the Evolved had formed a small Hammerfist and smashed through the nearest wall that led outside. His free hand pointed at Alex, and he yelled two words out into the open.

"He's here!"

Pariah was there in an instant, standing in the hole the Evolved had created. Its gaze traveled along the same path as the Evolved's until its eyes rested upon Alex. His fists clenched as he realized that Pariah must have set up a sort of code with its Evolved when it figured out that he was coming.

_Clever little—_

Pariah rushed forwards, tackling Alex even as his body returned to its normal form. The two fell to the ground as they struggled, each attempting to get back on top. Alex bent his legs and kicked Pariah off before leaping out the hole created by the Evolved.

_Damn it, I didn't get to consume any of them!_

He sprang out into the daylight, quickly scaling a building to avoid Pariah's attacks while he tried to form his next plan of attack.

His thoughts were interrupted by an ominous rumbling noise. Slowly, carefully, Alex turned around, eyes widening as it came into view; an enormous, hulking creature slowly crashed towards them, the gargantuan arm it dragged along the street crushing the ground it walked upon.

He knew what this creature was. Ares had a hand in creating it, after all.

"A Goliath," Alex breathed. It seemed as though Pariah had called in reinforcements.

** Explanations/Clarifications**

** The Goliath: An enemy that was introduced in the second Prototype game. If you don't know what it looks like, you're welcome to look it up. Might help with visualizing the story. **


	55. Chapter 55

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**THAQIF: We are approaching the conclusion, yes, but it won't be in the next chapter. Rest assured, it will come soon (unless something horrible happens to me in real life).**

**Chapter 55**

**Men Like Gods Part 2**

Alex mentally cursed himself as the Goliath approached. Of _course_ Pariah wouldn't bother playing 'fair'! He had been a fool in assuming that it would continue fighting him one-on-one if it detected a chance of losing. He glanced at Pariah as it walked out into the street. It watched him with its arms crossed over its chest, its head slightly cocked and its eyes narrowed.

Alex gritted his teeth.

_Alright, the Goliath shouldn't be too difficult to kill. Ares knew the thing—even helped to create it—so killing it shouldn't prove too much of a challenge. However…_

His gaze didn't leave Pariah.

_THAT thing is still there. I can't afford to divide my attention between Pariah and the Goliath. If both of them attack at once, I can't fight them together. It'll be one or the other, and I can't give Pariah anything less than my full attention._

Another thought struck him.

_Why the Goliath? We're literally surrounded by Evolved, each of which would make for a better partner in a fight. Why call in something so huge and clumsy?_

The Goliath lumbered on, sluggishly approaching him. Its shoulders crashed through the sides of buildings, unbalancing entire structures by merely walking into them. Its left arm resembled a giant Hammerfist—one that was larger than a tank. Its other arm ended in a sharp stump, as though the hand had been removed and the remaining flesh had been sharpened to resemble a knife.

Ares hadn't known the specifics behind its creation, but he knew this: it was strong. Physically, it possessed sufficient strength to pin a Prototype to the ground with that small stump alone, proven when Ares had tested the beast's strength some time ago. The Hammerfist, on the other hand, possessed a level of strength that the sharper limb couldn't even compare to.

As the Goliath came within attacking range, it lifted the signature Hammerfist into the air before slamming it back down, utterly demolishing the ground upon which it landed. It rushed forward, using the Hammerfist like a giant sweeper as it moved, pushing aside anything that ended up in its way, both living and inanimate. Alex hissed as he turned to Pariah, using his ears to judge the distance between himself and the Goliath. The creature made a horrid amount of noise, and tracking it by sound would be enough to pinpoint its location.

When he saw Pariah, he did a double take. The creature was casually sitting on a rooftop, curiously watching him as the Goliath approached. Alex stared in disbelief, wondering what could have possibly driven Pariah to choose such a course of action. Allowing him to fight the Goliath would almost surely result in him killing the beast, and if it wounded him, the Evolved watching would believe that Pariah required assistance to kill him; that might have hurt Pariah's image and reputation.

_So why use the Goliath?_

He was pulled from his thoughts as the sound of the Goliath's approach turned into a thunderous crashing noise. He whirled around to see the creature was almost at his rooftop. Alex dove off the rooftop as the Goliath slammed into it, tearing through the building as though it were nothing. Alex spared a glance at Pariah only to see that it _still _hadn't moved.

_This is crazy. What on Earth is it planning? Calling in reinforcements like this would be seen as a display of weakness, a display of inability to face me alone! Why would Pariah try this?!_

A deafening roar broke his train of thought once more, forcing him to realize that Pariah's motives may not be the main issue at hand at the moment. The Goliath was charging again, crushing whatever stood in its path under its massive weight. Alex realized that the surrounding Evolved must have been changing positions by now to avoid being caught in the crossfire between himself and the Goliath.

He jumped, soaring out of the way of the Goliath's charge. As the beast came to a halt, it turned to face Alex again. He, meanwhile, glared at it, attempting to figure out the quickest way to kill it while still constantly glancing at Pariah. Suddenly, his attention was brought back to the Goliath as it raised its Hammerfist so high that its entire body bent backwards as the Hammerfist weight it down.

Alex gawked, wondering how the creature's spine hadn't snapped. Then, with a heave, the Goliath swung its Hammerfist in a giant arc over its head before slamming it down on the ground as Alex descended to the street.

The result was like a Devastator in the form of a punch.

Hundreds upon hundreds of spikes erupted from the ground towards him in a giant cone, like a supercharged version of his own attack. Alex jumped, but the spikes _just kept extending_. They rose hundreds of feet into the air, following him. Before Alex could react, one spike, easily larger than his entire body, speared him through the chest, eliciting a cough from him. More spikes were rapidly rising towards him, and he knew that if any more of them ripped through him, they would weaken him enough to let Pariah consume him.

He had to act now.

His Armor wouldn't stop these spikes and would only slow him down at this point. It wasn't strong enough to repel this creature's attacks, so the best option would be to lose it. Without hesitating, Alex willed his Armor to melt from him, melding back into his body as it softened. Alex's arms transformed into Claws and he dug into the spike, moving as fast as possible. He forced himself off by pushing against the spike, and the moment he could, he dove off the massive cone of hardened biomass.

He plummeted towards the earth, arms tucked in at his sides for more speed. Massive spikes rose past him as they attempted to impale him, but he hit the ground before they could touch them. He whirled around to face the creature, watching as it raised its massive Hammerfist.

An idea came to him as he saw its small, exposed feet.

***Page Break***

It watched with curiosity as its enemy battled the Goliath. The Evolved were moving, separating themselves from the commotion to avoid being consumed by ZEUS. It had called upon its Goliath the moment ZEUS had attempted to blend in with its Evolved.

It would not stand for that. The Evolved were _its_ creations, not ZEUS'. The Evolved understood the Goliath to be a necessary distraction, something to keep ZEUS occupied while they ran. Yes, _they_ were the weak ones. The moment ZEUS tried to take its Evolved, they had become a liability, a weakness. They had to leave before ZEUS could take them. It was confident in its ability to stop ZEUS whether or not he consumed the Evolved, but the Evolved knew things ZEUS didn't need to know. The information they held was more powerful than the strength they wielded. It couldn't care less for the measly displays of physical prowess the Evolved could put on—they knew not what true power was.

ZEUS was the only one capable of rivaling it in that regard, and even he was weaker. Nothing would surpass it. It wouldn't allow that.

And so it had ordered the Evolved to leave. Meanwhile, it could watch ZEUS as he battled the Goliath, and it could analyze his attack patterns without interruption. Not that it truly needed to, but it wished to make an example of him. It would crush him without remorse, and it would do it with the least effort possible. That way, the Evolved would truly understand what it was, and any notion of rebellion would be crushed, just like ZEUS.

It was Pariah, after all. None would compare. None could.

***Page Break***

The Whipfist was forming on his arm almost before the thought itself. As the Goliath bent backwards, its own Hammerfist weighing it down, its thin, wobbly legs were exposed. Each was larger than a man, but still incredibly stubby compared to the rest of the body. Alex pulled back his arm, aiming at the left leg. The Goliath was beginning to heave the Hammerfist over its head once more, preparing to do the same attack that had speared Alex through the chest.

He wouldn't let it.

He threw his arm forward, allowing his Whipfist to extend as it rocketed towards the Goliath's leg. The bladed tip of the weapon slammed into the leg, burrowing itself into the flesh, sinking deep into the limb. The Goliath howled, its Hammerfist sinking back down as its strength and balance were momentarily impaired. Alex charged, running right between the Goliath's legs. Once he passed through, he skidded to a stop, whirling around and charging back, but around the left leg.

The chain of his Whipfist was wrapped around the leg now, and with a mighty heave, he yanked on the weapon, the chain and blade ripping through the Goliath's leg. The beast roared as it came crashing down to the ground, unable to support its own weight on its remaining leg. Alex smirked as the Goliath fell, but blinked in confusion when it immediately began moving again.

There was no hesitation, no form of self-preservation instinct kicking in as the Goliath began using its oversized arm to haul itself into position on its stomach. The virus flooding its body commanded that it obeyed Pariah's orders, and whatever they were, they seemed to include the Goliath fighting regardless of the injuries sustained, even if they ended up tearing the creature apart.

Alex bent his knees, entering a combat stance as he analyzed the creature.

_It's large and slow—if I can figure out a pattern to its attacks, I may be able to exploit weaknesses that become vulnerable to counterattacks…If it's going to be crawling, I could—_

Like some possessed beast, the Goliath suddenly lurched forwards, crawling at speeds that should have been impossible for something of its size. Alex actually shouted in surprise when it approached, its arms moving in jerky, unnatural motions. Before he could react, the creature was upon him, lashing out in an attempt to hit him. Unlike the last few times, it didn't attack with its Hammerfist; it attacked with its other arm.

The small, shriveled up appendage swung through the air like a scythe, slamming down upon Alex from above. The razor-sharp tip tore through his back, pinning him to the ground. He wheezed as he was yanked up and thrown away like a toy, flying through the air before slamming into a building. The Goliath gave another roar before charging again.

_What in the fuck?! _

Ares' memories had _not_ shown this thing to be that fast! Whatever Ares had known about the Goliath was probably relatively inaccurate now, seeing as the monstrosity was so much faster than he had ever known or dared to believe. Alex coughed as he hauled himself out of the pile of rubble that had formed around him as a result of his crash landing.

_Is this what Pariah is truly capable of? Supercharging Infected like this? If this is what it can create on its own, what could it do with DNA it gets from ME?_

Whatever Pariah had become, it was far more dangerous than he had considered. Battle strength aside, if Pariah was capable of making a Goliath this fast, it would be able to make itself nearly invincible with his DNA…

Alex was torn from his thoughts as he saw the massive Hammerfist of the Goliath rapidly approaching the building. Eyes widening, he whirled around, diving forwards and running on all fours for a second as he steadied himself before sprinting at full speed. He jumped out a window as the Goliath's fist crashed through the building, demolishing the structure and sending it crumbling to the ground. Alex glanced over his shoulder as he glided away, watching as the Goliath rumbled after him with that twisted crawl of its.

_Look for a good moment to counterattack…_

The Goliath rushed at him, raising its shriveled limb and swung it like a scythe once more. This time, however, Alex was prepared. As the limb came down, he dove out of the way, watching as it burrowed into the ground. The Goliath began struggling as it tried to tear the sharp end of its arm out of the street, but at that point, Alex was already acting.

Leaping into the air, he allowed his Blade to form on his hand before plummeting to the ground, holding the Blade over his head. He swung forwards as he approached the Goliath's trapped limb, aiming his Blade down at the swollen appendage. His aim proved true, and the Blade sunk deep into the flesh, cutting all the way through the bone. In an instant, the limb was severed, and the Goliath stumbled back—or crawled back, seeing as it couldn't stumble without its leg.

Alex prepared to press on, but paused when the Goliath began twisting its body to face him once more. Then, to his surprise, it began crawling back, putting distance between itself and him. It was when the creature began bouncing in place that Alex found himself truly confused. His lips parted slightly as he squinted, trying to figure out just what the Goliath was doing. Suddenly, in an act that defied his understanding of physics, the Goliath threw itself into the air.

Time seemed to slow as the gargantuan beast flew hundreds of feet into the air, surpassing even Alex's jumping abilities. "Oh," he breathed as the Goliath reached the arch of its jump.

"SHIT!" he roared as it descended.

His instincts taking over, Alex turned to run. His legs began moving at their maximum speed almost instantly as he desperately tried to escape the shadow that was quickly growing around him. With a final dive, he was out of the shadow, and barely a second later, a thunderous crash went off behind him as the area was blanketed with dust and smoke. He covered his face with his arms to avoid potential damage to his eyes. The shockwave produced by the fall lifted him off his feet and sent him flying across the street, bouncing a few time before he finally came to a stop, digging his fingers into the flesh-covered road while holding his head low.

The shockwave finally faded, leaving behind nothing but dust. He could hear pieces of debris falling, and in the distance, he could hear a large mass moving.

_What the fuck just happened?_

This Goliath was either much stronger than it was before, or it was an entirely different specimen that what Ares had encountered. Because, if anything, it should _not_ have been able to do that. But apparently, defying logic seemed to be this Goliath's specialty. Despite what it had just done, Alex could see the Goliath beginning to move again. He could see its silhouette moving through the smoke and dust, searching for him. Alex gritted his teeth as he scrambled away as quietly and as quickly as possible.

The Goliath continued blindly blundering about as it searched for Alex. The hooded Prototype cursed when he ran into something, letting out a loud metallic clanging sound. He could hear the Goliath turning to face him, and the sight of its silhouette moving around confirmed it. The creature began crawling forwards, but unlike the last few times, it didn't move in that outrageously fast crawl—rather, it moved slowly, carefully. The arm he had cut through had been reduced to a bloody stump at the end of the limb, and as he watched, said limb reached out, waving around through the smoke as dark blood spilled from the wound over the street with wet splats.

Alex silently rolled out of the way when the limb came dangerously close. He activated his Infected Vision for a better view of the Goliath, but the moment he activated it, everything exploded into shades of bright yellow and orange. The sudden explosion of color left him momentarily blinded as his power deactivated. However, in that moment, something large hit his side.

Something that felt suspiciously like the limb of the Goliath.

Alex stumbled as the limb made contact, all while the Goliath sprang into action, quickly lurching forwards to kill him. Alex, acting on instincts, listened to the sounds of its approach and dove out of the way as its weaker limb smacked the spot he had stood in. By now, his sight was returning to him, and he could see the Goliath's silhouette again. And what he saw caused him to curse again. The creature was raising its oversized Hammerfist in preparation to attack, relying on the size of the attack to hit him, rather than its accuracy.

Alex turned and ran, once again forced to temporarily flee as the Goliath prepared its attack. He heard its fist slam into the street behind him as he finally exited the smoke and dust kicked up by its previous attacks. He glanced around him, searching for Pariah, only to pause when he realized something.

_The streets and buildings are covered in viral matter. Activating Infected Vision showed me all this infected biomass hanging everywhere, thus blinding me. Which means Infected Vision is next to useless as long as we're in this viral wasteland._

He turned back to the Goliath, now crawling out of the smoke and dust. It locked eyes with him before it slowly began bouncing in place.

But this time, Alex knew what was coming.

***Page Break***

It could see it now. The pattern that existed in ZEUS' movements had become clear to it, opening countless new possibilities in the ways it could fight him. It had once read that fighters inevitably enter a pattern in their movements. Small, nearly undetectable movements in the muscles would follow a pattern, and when that was deciphered, greater movements, such as punches and kicks, could be anticipated.

Little quirks about him, such as facial expressions or where his eyes would look, told plenty about when and where he would strike. The countless years' worth of memories it had had taught it how to be patient and observant. A fight could be ended far quicker if the opponent was understood. And now, it understood ZEUS far better than he understood it.

Such observations were nearly impossible for a human to make, and it doubted even ZEUS could exhibit such levels of concentration and patience. He could be brash, impatient, foolish even. It was calm, patient, and clever; it would defeat ZUES, and then it would become invincible.

The Goliath threw itself into the air once more, but it could already tell by the calm look on ZEUS' face that he knew what he was doing. The Goliath plummeted towards the earth, but ZEUS removed himself from the area, escaping the damage done by the Goliath. It could see the Goliath as it struggled to stand—or at least bring itself into a position where it could fight back. ZEUS, on the other hand, was running towards it, a Blade on his arm.

It understood that he had a plan, or was at least confident in his ability to win. This confidence didn't exist moments ago, and now, it knew that it needed to intervene. The Goliath was a test, yes, but it wasn't willing to part with its pet just yet. The Goliath had so much potential left, and it wouldn't allow that potential to be wasted.

Pariah leapt off its rooftop as it moved to intercept its enemy.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Buffed Goliath: I made it stronger because this time, Pariah is running the 'evil villain' show, not Alex Mercer. On top of that, my version of Pariah is stronger than Prototype 2's version of Alex Mercer, so it has superior DNA to him, and because it has existed longer, it has more experience.**

** Pariah's P.O.V: I wanted to explain what Pariah was attempting to do with the Goliath, but if Pariah just went up to Alex and said, "Yo, I totally figured out your patterns of movement, wanna 1v1?", it would give Alex reason to actively try and change the way he fights, perhaps by changing his form to something else in order to make himself less predictable. So, I had Pariah throw some of its own thoughts into the mix to inform readers while keeping our protagonist in the dark. **


	56. Chapter 56

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**A/N: Bear with me guys, the story will end soon. I don't plan on dragging this fight out too long (dragging a fight out is never my intention, but somehow, I still end up doing it), so it should come to a conclusion within the next chapter or two…or three. Hopefully it won't go too far, I really want to finish what I started here. **

**GOMT8: To start off, I'm not sure if Alex would be capable of forcing himself out of Pariah if consumed, seeing as the games didn't seem to elaborate on the subject, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was possible. Second, I don't think I'll be adding the ability to gain something's DNA from consuming a tiny particle for the simple reason that it's too powerful. Imagine how quickly the fight would end if Pariah or Alex could suddenly empower themselves by just consuming a tiny part of their opponent. One of them could literally win the fight by simply cutting the other and consuming whatever blood comes out. The fight would have been over in seconds, which would have been rather anticlimactic. Finally, your idea of having each fighter posses certain advantages is a good one, and I think I can incorporate a small part of it rather nicely into this fight. Thank you for your ideas. I'd also like to point out that simple plot armor won't save Alex here. If I missed any of your questions, feel free to point that out so that I can answer them. Thank you for the review.**

**GUEST: Yeah, Alex tends to do that a lot. **

**Chapter 56**

**Men Like Gods Part 3**

Alex skidded to a stop, grunting in surprise as his eyes widened. Pariah stood several meters in front of him, blocking his path to the Goliath. Said creature was already rising, regaining its balance. Alex mentally cursed as he watched his window of opportunity fade. He had planned on decapitating the beast while it was down—or at least ripping its eyes out—but it seemed as though Pariah had other plans.

It stood calmly before him, watching him with glowing eyes. Behind it, the Goliath was crawling away, much to Alex's annoyance. He wasn't so much annoyed with the Goliath as he was with the fact that he didn't understand why Pariah had ordered it to attack.

_What exactly was the point of all that?_

Pariah stepped forward, instantly grabbing Alex's attention. His eyes narrowed and he bent his knees, drawing his Blade across the ground in front of him, cutting through a layer of viral biomass. He kept his ears open as he tried to listen for the sounds of the Goliath. Pariah had reentered the fight, so there was no telling what the Goliath might do.

Oddly enough, Pariah refused to attack. It watched him with a neutral expression, its half-lidded eyes studying him with a hollow stare. Alex involuntarily tensed up as he waited, the weight of the battle not lost on him. Ironically, he was fighting for humanity's future here, and both he and Pariah knew it.

Still, Pariah refused to attack, opting to watch him as he waited for it to make the first move. When nothing happened, he decided he'd take a risk. Faster than most could follow, Alex had stepped forward and threw out his Whipfist, letting the bladed tip of the weapon fly as it rapidly approached Pariah's right shoulder.

The creature leaned out of the way, but by then, Alex was already sprinting forwards. He jumped slightly, raising his Blade as he swung it down at Pariah's head. His opponent had already moved to the side, a pair of Claws forming on his hands. It had moved so that he couldn't attack with his Blade in time, and the Whipfist was still retracting. Its Claws lashed out, cutting through Alex's right side. He hissed as the Whipfist rapidly returned to him before flipping forwards through the air and lashing out with the whip-like weapon.

Pariah jumped, hopping over the Whipfist. Alex landed on his heel before spinning on it, once more turning to face Pariah. He was met with a Claw rapidly approaching his face, but before it could connect, he had raised his Whipfist, catching the weapon on his left arm. He was already throwing his Blade out for a stab at Pariah's stomach, but it leaned out of the way _again_.

Alex glared when Pariah danced away from him. The part of him that refused to lose to Pariah was telling him to calm down and think rationally, seeing as brash actions and poorly-thought out attacks could lead to his demise at the creature's hands. Slowly, he calmed down as the two faced off. Tendrils began twisting around Alex as his Armor was once again brought out to the surface, encasing him in its protective shell. Pariah watched with mild interest as Alex donned his protective gear.

He knew that he was taking a risk once more by slowing himself down, but he didn't need Pariah hitting him with smaller, weaker attacks continuously. Pariah was faster than him, and if he couldn't match it in speed, he'd need the extra protection to stop those quick jabs. Ignoring such maneuvers would allow him to steadily lose biomass without even really knowing it. With the Armor on, every time Pariah hit him hard enough to damage him, he'd feel it and he'd know where the damage is.

Pariah suddenly charged, closing the distance between them in a split second. Alex faked a dash to the right before leaping to the left, swinging his Whipfist around to try and catch Pariah in the back. As he had expected, Pariah dashed out of the way, but he was already moving to intercept it. His right arm transformed as his Claws power was activated, the bladed digits reaching out as he spread his 'hand'.

He was almost at Pariah as it moved, his Claws quickly closing in on the creature's shoulder as he attempted to dismember it. Then, to his confusion, Pariah twisted to look at him, its entire body moving in a jerky, unnatural motion as it turned to stare at him with that hollow look once more. His Claw was now sinking into Pariah's chest, and he quickly realized that the creature had turned to absorb the blow.

With a healing factor as strong as the one possessed by Prototype, a stab to the chest was better than a missing arm.

Pariah's hands slammed into the sides of Alex's head, its palms pressed against his ears. It clutched him tightly as its feet slammed into the ground for support before lifting him over itself and throwing him headfirst into the ground. Alex recovered quickly, lashing out with his feet and finally catching Pariah on the chin. The kick sent it stumbling back, and by then, Alex was moving again, drawing back his right arm as a Hammerfist formed on it.

Pariah reacted by forming a Hammerfist of its own and stepped forwards, drawing its own arm back as it prepared to cancel out his punch with its own. They both threw their fists forward simultaneously, the mace-like appendages crashing into each other with enough force to produce a small shockwave. They struggled for a second before, to Alex's surprise, Pariah's fist gave way and Alex's Hammerfist shot forwards, crashing against Pariah's chest. The hit sent Pariah flying, eliciting a grunt from it as it slammed against a building wall.

Slowly, it stood up, its eyes meeting his once more, only this time, there were traces of surprise in that hollow stare. Apparently, Pariah truly didn't expect the outcome it had just been presented. Wiping some blood from its lip with the back of its hand, Pariah continued to gaze at him, studying him.

Alex found himself gritting his teeth in frustration at Pariah's constant stops. Rather than give it more time to study and analyze him, Alex charged forwards, lifting both Hammerfists above his head before slamming them down on the ground, sending a torrent of tendrils through the ground before they erupted from the streets as spikes. Pariah leapt out of the way, gliding towards a building before beginning to run up along its wall.

Alex reacted immediately, taking off in the direction Pariah had went. He had reached the wall in seconds, jumping onto it and sprinting up as fast as possible. He noticed that it was getting darker—though the time of day could be difficult to discern with the eerie red glow that the city was bathed in. Alex snapped to attention when Pariah jumped off the wall, gliding to keep itself afloat while it traveled through the city. Alex followed, spreading his own limbs as he flew after the creature.

He saw it land in what looked to be the remnants of a park. The trees had what looked like nets of biomass draped over them, with viral matter sticking to the trunks like spider webs. In fact, the whole park looked like it was covered in those strange, red spider webs. Pariah had slammed into the ground with sufficient force to crush it, and it had already whirled around to face him.

Alex was plummeting towards the earth, aiming himself at Pariah. It understood almost instantly what he was planning and dove out of the way. When Alex finally did hit the ground, Pariah was upon him before he was ready. It lashed out with a Blade, cutting his shoulder. His Claws forming on his hands, and Alex lashed out, his bladed digits scraping against the Blade as Pariah lifted it to block. Alex pushed down with all his strength, desperately trying to force the Blade into Pariah's face, but to his annoyance, it held strong.

_Why could I overpower its Hammerfist, but not its Blade?_

Tendrils began forming on his arms as he activated Ares' signature power. The tendrils shot past Pariah's Blade and slammed into its midsection, pushing it back a few meters. Pariah responded by whirling around, stretching out a Whipfist that shot through trees, ripping through them and picking up pieces of them as Pariah swung its weapon in a large arc. By the time it had finally let go, a mass of wood and metallic chain were sent flying at Alex at high speeds. He dropped to all fours, allowing the strange weapon to go flying over his head.

Pariah slammed its foot into the ground and a barrage of tentacles erupted from the earth in a cone-like pattern as they hardened into large, deadly spikes. Alex dove out of the way, only to see Pariah repeating the motion, forcing him to dive away once more. When he saw Pariah going for a third round, he jumped into the air, firing tendrils from both hands at Pariah.

The tendrils attached themselves to Pariah, who was still trying to remove its foot from the ground. They began wrapping around its waist before dozens of other tendrils shot out from that single point, grabbing on to whatever they came into contact with. Alex yanked, instantly bringing all the debris picked up by the tendrils to a central point: Pariah. Everything that was picked up by the tendrils came crashing into it with the force of a runaway train.

Before it could react, Alex was already diving at it with his Claws fanned out. It moved at the last second, causing Alex's Claws to sink into the ground. He then suddenly found his face becoming far more acquainted with Pariah's foot than he had planned. The kick sent him sprawling, giving Pariah an opening.

Alex desperately scrambled back into fighting position, bringing up his Shield to block Pariah's blow. He felt its Hammerfist crash against his Shield, causing his arm to bend under the pressure exerted by the powerful attack. A second Hammerfist crashed into his defenses, this time actually pushing him back a foot or two. He was on his knees at this point, desperately trying to hold Pariah back. He still didn't understand why he had been able to overpower it before and not now, but what he did understand was that if this kept up, he'd be in danger.

Grave danger.

***Page Break***

It had miscalculated. It had made a mistake that it had no intention of making again. Ares had always been fond of the Hammerfists, and he continuously worked to improve his. They were probably his most powerful weapon during his time under its control, and when ZEUS had consumed him, regaining his memories, the power of Ares' Hammerfists had of course been transferred to him.

The result was a pair of Hammerfists stronger than its own. And when ZEUS hit with all his might, he had the upper hand.

ZEUS could not learn of this. It would motivate him; strengthen him with the knowledge that he had a weapon that it wasn't capable of fully matching. Ares hadn't known its full strength when he was alive, so ZEUS couldn't know that his Hammerfists had surpassed its own. At least, not until a minute ago.

It could not let him have hope. Hope—as vain as it may be—would give him strength. The weaker it made him look, the greater its control over the Evolved. This fight was beginning to drag on further than it liked. That was unacceptable. It would put a stop to this.

It would end ZEUS like it ended all that stood before it.

***Page Break***

Alex felt his knees buckle as Pariah's Hammerfists pushed with more ferocity, forcing his Shield down upon him. He grunted as he finally snapped, falling on his back with Pariah's Hammerfist slamming into his midsection. I vicious kick to the side sent him rolling across the street. He came to a stop by slamming his hands and feet into the ground, sliding for a second before fully halting.

He barely had time to react before Pariah was upon him, raising a Blade over his head. Alex jerked back, narrowly avoiding the weapon as it sliced the air where his head had been moments ago. His right arm shot out on instinct, only to be blocked by the Blade Pariah had formed. His other arm snapped as tentacles writhed around it, his Tendrils power activating.

He shot his arm towards Pariah's neck, but a hand came up, catching him by the wrist. He smirked as he dug his claw-tipped finger into the top of Pariah's hand. The creature's head snapped to the side as it glared at his fingers, but by then, it was too late. Alex sprang back, forcing himself out of Pariah's grip. Tentacles shot from Pariah's body, latching onto random objects before retracting faster than Alex could follow.

The tentacles slammed whatever they had grabbed into Pariah, exactly like the bio-bombs the Evolved had made use of back in Academy City. The small pile of rubble suddenly burst open as Pariah shot from the pile of junk, pouncing at Alex with outstretched Claws. Alex stepped forwards, his Hammerfist forming on his right arm as he threw a large punch. Surprisingly, Pariah's face showed a hint of concern before it spread its limbs, gliding to halt it own pounce.

Alex picked up on the reaction instantly. At the same time, his mind began racing, frantically trying to piece together the connection. Something he was doing was causing Pariah to worry; the variables in this equation were endless, seeing as there was a million things he could have done that could have warranted this kind of reaction from Pariah.

Was it where he was standing? What he was doing? What weapon he was using? What he—

A Whipfist to the face abruptly ended Alex's mental debate.

Grunting as Pariah's weapon dug into his flesh, Alex's upper body snapped back from the force of the attack before being yanked forwards. His hands shot out, slamming into the road as the Whipfist was torn from his head. The wound itself posed no threat to him, but the temporary blindness that usually came with the loss of his eyes was a problem.

His body was healing at an impossible speed, but Pariah was still faster. Alex felt a Blade shoot through his chest, lifting him off the ground as Pariah brought the Blade up. It was abruptly yanked out, and then he felt it slice across his face once more. The extra damage prolonged his blindness for only a second longer, but in that second, Pariah got in yet another free hit with its Hammerfist, choosing to punch Alex with all its might, sending him flying.

His sight returned while he was still in the air, and he acted instantly, gliding through the air and landing onto the street with a crash, but still on his feet. He looked up, only to find Pariah already plummeting towards him with its Hammerfists outstretched. He cursed before leaping out of the way, watching as Pariah crashed into the ground, spikes erupting in a large circle around it.

Alex landed with a grunt, his gaze glued to Pariah as it rose inside the cloud of dust it had created. He could see its silhouette as it stood, the red glowing eyes showing even through the dust as it stared at him. Alex felt his fists clench.

_How the fuck am I supposed to beat it?_

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Stronger Hammerfist:** **Firstly, this idea was born from gomt8's suggestion, and I'd say it fit rather nicely with my plan for this story. It gives Pariah a reason to want to end the fight as quickly as possible. Now, it has a bigger reason to fight harder, as though there was something to lose. Previously, it was trying to make an example of Alex, and it had full confidence in its ability to win. Now, there is a chance of it losing, and it will do anything it can to prevent that, as long as it comes out on top and as the obvious winner. **


	57. Chapter 57

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**Chapter 57**

**Dark Determination**

Pariah had stopped showing concern. Either he had stumbled onto one of its fears and then failed to find it, or the creature was smart enough to hide the concern from him.

He was betting that it was the latter.

His Blade crashed against Pariah's Shield before it threw him off, forcing him to flip through the air to keep his balance with the massive Blade on his arm. He slammed the end of the weapon into the street, using it as an anchor before vaulting over it, landing on his feet. He skidded back from the momentum before jerking his head up, locking eyes with a charging Pariah.

It leapt at him, Claws outstretched and wide open like a wild cat. Alex formed his Whipfist almost on instinct, throwing the weapon forward at Pariah. With superhuman reflexes, the creature's left arm shot out, batting away the Whipfist with the bladed digits. Alex took the opportunity and stepped forwards, lifting his right leg and slamming it into Pariah's head while its arm was busy.

The kick sent Pariah back, halting its charge. It landed on its back, but before Alex could do anything about it, it was already on its feet, its Hammerfists forming on its arms. Red mist was beginning to rise from its body as tentacles writhed around it. Both Hammerfists were raised simultaneously, causing Alex to curse under his breath before leaping out of the way as the fists came down on the ground, creating a shockwave strong enough to throw him back.

That wasn't to mention the cone of spikes that erupted from the ground in his general direction. He noticed the sharp spikes as he sailed towards the ground. Acting instantly, his arm shot out, slamming into the ground between a pair of spikes before pushing him off, sending him into the air once more.

He knew he had a second to himself while Pariah retracted the spikes and removed its Hammerfists from the ground. Alex grunted before flipping through the air again, pointing his feet at the ground as he landed before he took off sprinting, leaving a no-doubt surprised Pariah behind him. His Armor melted off of him for increased speed, and he avoided looking back, instead focusing on putting distance between himself and the threat to get time to think.

_Brute strength and speed won't cut it. It's at least as strong as me—no…no let's be honest here; it's shown that it can overpower me. And yet…I've been able to overpower it at times…like with the Hammerfists…_

A thought struck him. The first time he overpowered it was with the Hammerfists. Had he been using them when had Pariah had stopped its own attack? He couldn't remember…

_Using the Hammerfists for a while wouldn't hurt, but it won't be enough. If the cause of its concern was the Hammerfists, it wouldn't just charge me head on. It would figure out another way to do things, it's smarter than tha—_

A Whipfist shot through his midsection, taking him completely by surprise. He grunted as he was yanked back, literally dragged off his feet, flying through the air. He saw Pariah out of the corner of his eye shortly before it spun him in a circle around itself. It threw him into the air with the Whipfist still attached before yanking him back down, slamming him into the ground.

He coughed as he hauled himself to his feet. Pariah was walking towards him, the red mist now pouring from its body in mass quantities.

_It's reaching deeper into its own power. It's trying to make me look weak, to make itself look even more powerful. Defeating me here would ensure its position as the strongest Infected in existence. _

He began to stand, Pariah still approaching him. He felt anger well up in his chest as he stared at the creature, his fists shaking with rage.

_I am NOT this…this thing's TOY! I will not be humiliated so that it can use me as a stepping stone to reach its goal! I faced Blackwatch, Greene, Gentek, the Infected—I'm not FUCKING dying to this piece of shit! I…I will…I'll…_

"_**I will crush you**_," Alex hissed as he mirrored Pariah's hollow glare. For the first time in a while, Pariah paused, blinking in confusion. Alex placed his hand on his knee as he rose, tentacles writhing around his body in fury.

He was ZEUS. He had done things people couldn't even _dream_ of. To go out like this—as someone's propaganda—was unacceptable. He would not die like this, not as someone's stepping stone. He would not suffer this humiliation. He would win, he would beat Pariah, even if it cost him his own life.

Pariah would not walk away alive.

He could feel a familiar fury, but not one that he himself had experienced. No, it was from Ares—his own clone. The same rage Ares had felt at the realization that he was turned into a stepping stone now filled Alex's being. He could feel his eyes burning, stinging as the virus strained them. He knew they were bloodshot by now—far more than what was natural—but whether or not they glowed, he didn't know.

_This thing isn't omnipotent. If I can't overpower it, I'll have to win by some other method. I don't care if I spend the rest of my life fighting it, Pariah __**is not winning**_**.**

His Hammerfists began forming as he stood, and by the time he was on his feet, the two massive mace-like appendages were hanging at his sides. Pariah watched him with confusion, its head slightly cocked as he glared at it. Alex lurched forwards, swinging a Hammerfist over his head at Pariah. It leapt out of the way, shortly before his fist crushed the ground it had stood upon. He was up and after it instantly, moving as fast as he could while the Hammerfists hung from his shoulders.

Pariah was already looking at him by the time he was close enough to attack. It dove to the ground to avoid the punch he threw at its head. Alex whirled around in the air, pointing both Hammerfists at the ground as he plummeted towards Pariah. It looked up at him as he descended, its eyes narrowing slightly before it rolled out of the way, avoiding his attack.

Alex jumped to his feet, charging at Pariah as it glared at him in preparation to engage.

***Page Break***

He had found motivation. ZEUS had found something that he refused to give up, and now he was fighting to preserve it. He wasn't more powerful, but the hopelessness that had begun to creep into his eyes was gone, replaced by the cold fire that burned within him.

It couldn't allow this.

Hope was something it wouldn't give ZEUS. It was in vain—he had already lost. He couldn't defeat it, he just didn't know that yet. He couldn't understand, couldn't comprehend. Ares couldn't figure it out, the Evolved were unaware; how could ZEUS possibly figure out? He was so pathetically primitive. They all were. Evolution didn't play favorites, it never did. And now, evolution had chosen it to bring about the new world, to create what the others could not.

ZEUS just didn't understand. But it would show him. He would see before he died. Then it would finish what it had started.

This had gone on long enough.

***Page Break***

Pariah ducked as Alex's Hammerfist passed over it head. He snarled, lashing out with his foot in an attempt to land a blow. He gave a savage grin of satisfaction when his leg connected with Pariah's shoulder. The creature stumbled back slightly, and Alex took the opportunity to raise his Hammerfist before slamming it down on Pariah's head.

It crumpled under the force of the blow, much to Alex's satisfaction.

_The Hammerfists! That HAS to be what had it worried! They're—_

And then it hit him. Ares had taken great pleasure in strengthening his own Hammerfists, but he had always assumed that Pariah was far stronger than him. And now that he had consumed Ares, Alex possessed a pair of Hammerfists stronger than even Pariah itself!

He could win this. Victory was in sight. He had found a chink in Pariah's seemingly impenetrable armor, and now he would exploit it to its fullest. Alex slammed his fist down on Pariah again, only to find his attack blocked by a massive Shield. He grunted and pressed on, shoving Pariah's Shield down. His attack was interrupted when Pariah's leg swept his own out from under him.

Alex came down with a growl before leaping to his feet. Pariah had already done the same, and was already lashing out with a Whipfist. Alex batted the weapon aside with his Hammerfist, but a second Whipfist slammed into his chest, burrowing into it. He slammed his feet into the ground, his heels digging into the street. When Pariah yanked on the Whipfist, Alex slid forward, bust stayed on his feet.

"Not this time," he hissed. He had begun get used to Pariah's tricks. His right arm transformed as he activated his Musclemass power before grabbing the Whipfist. He stepped forward before jerking the weapon towards himself, tearing Pariah off its feet along with it. Alex cocked back his Hammerfist as Pariah's body was flung towards him. He let loose with a powerful punch, connecting directly with Pariah's head. The creature was thrown back, flung violently across the street into a building.

Alex smirked as he watched Pariah fly helplessly into the building. For the first time since it started, he felt like he was in control of the fight. Then, for what was probably the millionth time since the fight started, he felt suspicious.

_Are the Hammerfists really this effective against Pariah? It's…it's dropping like a fly here…_

Alex was beginning to seriously question the situation. The rush of adrenaline was gone, leaving him with a more rational state of mind. And now, he was wondering if this was a trap.

_Pariah's beginning to fall too easily. It wasn't this weak, it CAN'T be this weak._

His head jerked up when he noticed a figure exiting the building. His eyes narrowed when he recognized Pariah as it walked towards him. Its demeanor was calm, unflinching. It walked towards him without a trace of fear in its eyes. Despite the fact that he still had his Hammerfists, Pariah seemed unafraid.

This was bad. An unafraid opponent meant that either Pariah had accepted defeat, or had a trick up its sleeve, and Alex wasn't about to believe that Pariah had given up.

Pariah stopped half a dozen meters from him. It had no visible powers activated, leaving it with the appearance of a grey-skinned, red-eyed man. Alex shifted in discomfort and worry. His own confidence was now replaced with alertness and paranoia.

_What's happening here? What does it have up its sleeve? Why is it so calm?_

Pariah didn't move. It just stared at him, watching him as he furiously attempted to understand the situation.

And then, the unthinkable happened.

The ground beneath them split, opening its jaws as if to swallow them. The split was unnatural, occurring faster than what should have been possible. One second, the ground was there, and the next, it was opening up, creating a large fissure. Alex shouted as he fell through, the darkness swallowing him. From the corner of his eye, he saw Pariah fall into the hole as well, but the darkened environment obscured his vision too quickly for him to figure out where it had went from there.

Tentacles swarmed around him, hardening as Alex created his Armor. He wasn't sure what was about to happen, but speed was useless if he couldn't see where he was going. The Armor would add an extra layer of protection from whatever threats awaited him. The fall lasted for a few seconds, which was longer than Alex expected. A few seconds of free falling meant that they had gone pretty deep underground.

A larger hole meant more could be thrown in it.

Alex didn't like this. Whatever was happening, it wasn't normal, and it wasn't part of what little pattern had been established on the surface. Pariah was changing things up. This must have been what it had up its sleeve.

_Which means there's something down here that Pariah has confidence in. _

Alex attempted to point his legs in the direction he was falling. Despite this, however, he still ended up landing awkwardly when the ground took him by surprise. He grunted as his legs bent under him, but ultimately managed to catch himself on all fours.

He was about to activate his Infected Vision, but changed his mind. Last time he did that, the viral matter that had covered almost everything ended up nearly blinding him. Instead, he was about to activate his Thermal Vision, which illuminated heat sources with a softer light than his Infected Vision did with Infected targets. However, he stopped when he noticed something. There were patches of biomass on the walls of the bottom of this hole. They glowed with an eerie red light, granting a small amount of visibility to him.

The second thing he noticed was the silhouette of a figure as it rose up not far from him. Eyes narrowing, Alex immediately formed his Hammerfists, bending his knees as he prepared to fight. The sound of Pariah's landing must have been drowned out by the sound of his own, but now that he could at least see Pariah, he could fight again.

_Wait, does Pariah have better vision in the dark? Did it drag me here to rob me of one of my senses?_

If that was the case, he had a problem. He couldn't see that well down here, but if Pariah could, this fight would be over in seconds. Alex was about to curse before Pariah turned to him, the red, glowing eyes peering out at him from the darkness. Then, to his complete shock and confusion, Pariah casually turned around and began walking away, deeper into whatever cave they had been thrown in. Alex opened his mouth and then closed it in a complete loss for words. Never before had someone so casually turned away from him, disregarding him like nothing more than a minor nuisance. And yet here they were, with Pariah turning and exposing its back to him.

And here he thought he was beginning to win.

"Pariah!" he roared. "Where do you think you're going?"

The creature turned to him again, glancing over its shoulder. "You have already lost," it whispered, its voice echoing across the walls. And then it continued walking. Alex stared at its back, dumbstruck, speechless, and attempting to figure out what had just happened. Pariah, meanwhile, carelessly walked away, completely ignoring him as it walked into the darkness and out of his sight. For a few seconds, Alex's mouth opened and closed as he tried to form words.

Finally, he decided to act. He leapt forwards, his feet crushing the ground he stood upon and sprinted after Pariah. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he wasn't going to give Pariah free time to do whatever it had planned. Granted, he could be running into an ambush, but it was better than sitting behind and waiting for Pariah to carry out whatever scheme it had.

Catching up to it took infinitely longer than it should have. Sprinting at full speed, it still took several seconds of moving before he saw Pariah. Given that it had been walking, it didn't make sense that it had gotten so far away. When he did see it, it was walking into what looked to be a room that was slightly brighter than the strange hallway he had chased it through. He could see the eerie red glow past Pariah's silhouette as it stepped into the strange room. Alex sprinted in after it, skidding to a stop as he watched Pariah continue walking.

He froze as he looked around.

Dozens of bodies sat in the room, each hunched over in a sitting position on the floor. They each had a single, large tentacle sprouting from the back of their heads that reached back into the darker recesses of the room. Pariah stopped and turned around, facing him with an expressionless stare as it stood amidst the motionless bodies.

"Do you see now?" whispered a voice.

A new voice.

Alex jerked around, searching for the speaker. It wasn't Pariah who had spoken; its lips hadn't moved. This voice sounded…younger, more childlike. Boyish, to be precise. It had that same effect of being layered with other voices, but the core of it, the very center of it; it sounded like a young boy.

"Open your eyes," it continued, the voice seemingly coming from every direction.

Alex whirled to face Pariah, his eyes narrowing. However, Pariah wasn't even looking at him. It was just…staring off into the distance with a dead look in its eye. Alex kept frantically glancing around, the viral biomass illuminating the room and providing the light source he needed to actually perceive what he saw.

"Look uuuuppppp," the voice droned.

Alex's eyes shot up.

And then he saw it.

A sense of dread built up within him instantly. He recognized it the second he saw it. It was there, _it was right there_. He had stopped breathing, opting to only stare at the sight before him. His eyes shot back down at the motionless bodies that littered the room. He looked at where the tentacles led, and his eyes slowly followed them to their end point.

A tentacle crept out of the darkness and burrowed into the back of Pariah's head. The light instantly faded from its eyes, and it fell to the ground, hunching over, just like the others.

It didn't take him long to understand what it was. This was beyond what he had expected. Beyond what he had prepared for. If he had known that this was what awaited him, he wouldn't have come. He wouldn't have come to this place, not like this.

"No," he whispered.

**A/N: On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a jerk am I for leaving you guys hanging like that?**

**Explanations/Clarifications**

**Alex's Anger: The logic here is playing off of Alex's more selfish nature. He'd be furious if someone used him like Pariah was, and the anger brought determination, not power. He was more focused on winning after that scene…right up until the ending… **


	58. Chapter 58

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**A/N: Sorry for the wait on this chapter. I had a few complications with posting it. But on the bright side, the next chapter has already been started.**

**MYTHFAN: Oh, Pariah did more than that, my friend. **

**GUEST: Oh no, never. I've seen shows like Fairy Tail and Naruto, and that friendship = power crap annoys me to no end. Friendship and plot armor will not be saving Alex today. **

**KINGSORA3: I feel like it's going to be forever until you actually see this reply, so I'm going to send you a PM. And then if you do make it this far into the story, you'll actually get to see this in-story reply. **

**Chapter 58**

**The Puppet Master**

It hung high above him, suspended by tentacles that sprouted from its arms. They reached high into the room, clinging to whatever ceiling this room possessed. Tentacles hung from its legs, reaching down into the room, right into the heads of the various figures that sat hunched over on the floor. The red light shone faintly on its body, leaving the majority of it shrouded in shadows, but Alex could still tell what it was.

It was a child.

It was _the _child.

The child he had seen in the memories of Gentek scientists, the child he had witnessed in the memories of some of the higher ranking Blackwatch soldiers. He had seen it behind bars, playing with building blocks. He had seen it standing in a pool of blood, with the remains of a broken corpse lying at its feet while it grinned in ignorance. This was the child of one of the most dangerous women to ever see the light of day.

This was the child of Elizabeth Greene. This was Pariah; the _real _Pariah.

His eyes sank down, back to the body of the one he had been fighting on the surface. The tentacles that sprouted from the heads of the figures told a story, and where they led was the final piece of the puzzle that Alex needed. These were nothing more than puppets—lifeless bodies controlled from afar by a puppet master. All this time he had been fighting an empty shell, thinking it was Pariah's real body, when in reality, Pariah had plenty of them to spare.

He had been stupid to believe that the thing on the surface had been the real Pariah. It was weak compared to what it should have been. It had existed far longer than him, and it had seen the virus grow and become what it was today. This was his predecessor, and it was anything but dead. No, it had _thrived _in the time it had lived.

"For all the minds you've consumed," whispered the child. "You are still but one…"

The bodies on the floor began shifting shortly before they began to stand. "While I am many," Pariah finished. The bodies had all stood up, each sharing the same, hollow stare and glowing eyes as the original body that Alex had fought. Looking up, he could see yet another pair of glowing red eyes staring at him from the face of the child, only these were different.

They weren't hollow. They weren't dead. They were focused, intelligent, calculating. These weren't the eyes of a child. Pariah had become an adult in all but size.

Alex took a step back as Pariah's puppets began changing, various weapons forming on their limbs. He gritted his teeth as he stared at Pariah—the _real _one—as it watched him.

_It has control of multiple bodies at once…_

He looked around the room again.

_The one I fought didn't have a tentacle stuck to it. Does that mean that Pariah has less control over them without a connection? That would imply that…that these bodies are all stronger than the last one due to the physical connection Pariah created._

"You have already lost," Pariah began. "You are one. I am hundreds."

Alex flinched, eyes widening. One Pariah was a problem, a dozen was beyond him, but a hundred? A _hundred_ Pariahs?!

_Wait, how many bodies can it control at once? How strong is its original body?_

Alex's eyes traveled up to the hanging body of the child. It stared back down at him with an unflinching gaze, almost daring him to attack. The once-motionless figures were now beginning to move in, stepping between him and Pariah. The body that Alex had fought on the surface was among Pariah's current puppets, and it still looked as dangerous as ever.

"ZEUS," whispered Pariah. "Submit. Be assimilated. Join willingly; it will be less painful."

Alex took a step back, eyes narrowing. "Screw you," he snapped.

_What the fuck am I supposed to do? Overpowering and outmaneuvering it is impossible now! It's got the strength and numbers advantage, and outsmarting it is almost definitely out of the question. There are simply too many minds within that head of its to outsmart. This thing has me beaten on almost every level…_

Another thought struck him. How was he supposed to get out of this place? The hole they fell through was deep and pitch black, so climbing out wasn't an option. Was there another way out? Pariah had somehow gotten these others bodies in here, plus itself.

_It led me into a trap. It has the upper hand down here, and I don't know the way out…son of a bitch…son of a BITCH!_

Suddenly, the ground they were standing upon lurched without warning, causing Alex to stumble. Not even a second later, the floor began rising, dragging everyone present along with it. Alex lost his balance, dropping to his knees as the floor shot upwards, slamming into the ceiling. Alex grunted as he was forced through layers upon layers of earth as the floor flew rapidly towards the surface.

He dropped on his stomach, flattening his body against the floor. Several of the figures that he could still see had done the same, shielding their bodies from the stone and dirt that they were being pushed through. For several long, agonizing seconds, Alex endured the sensation of being forced through layers upon layers of earth. Finally, they burst through the surface, rising into the eerie red light of the city.

Alex's head snapped up the moment he felt the air. All around him, large red tentacles rose from the ground as if a Kraken was attempting to escape from beneath the city. Figures were stumbling into the street, all sharing the same, red-eyed hollow look that the bodies in Pariah's cave had. Alex inhaled sharply when he realized that all of these were more of Pariah's puppets.

He scrambled to his feet as the number of enemies grew. He could see Hunters leaping across the rooftops and lesser Infected sluggishly approaching his position. He was being surrounded. He looked around frantically, desperately trying to figure out what to do. Fighting them was no longer an option—he wouldn't win.

The giant red tentacles rising from the ground continued to do so, making their presence known. The ground was literally crumbling around him as the virus forced its way to the surface. Alex found himself slowly turning around as he heard an especially loud crashing sound. Out of the ground, a familiar short, childlike figure rose up. Tentacles still hung off its arms and legs, reaching into the ground, but now, Pariah had a new characteristic. Several massive tentacles were growing out of its back, each arching over and reaching into the ground while simultaneously supporting Pariah's small body.

_I've got to get the fuck out of here._

But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't. Leaving at this point was next to impossible, and even if he did get out, Pariah would just hunt him down, laying waste to all it came across. It had a unified army now, one that it seemed capable of controlling en masse.

What was the point of their fight? If it was this powerful, why waste time trying to prove it to the Evolved? It could have mopped the floor with him the moment he appeared, so why wait until now to reveal itself? There was literally not point in it.

"Pariah!" he shouted. He didn't know what he'd gain from this, but he was pulling at strings. Any bit of information on Pariah's plans would help, but in the back of his mind, he knew it was over. He couldn't fight an army controlled by Pariah. "What was the point?! Why wait until now to show me all this?! Why didn't you do this sooner, and finish the fight back then?!"

For a second Pariah said nothing, opting to stare at him. Then, it finally spoke.

"A distraction," it replied, its voice carrying across the distance between them.

Alex blinked. "What?"

"The Evolved needed something to focus on while I unified them. They needed something to watch so that I could work. You were the spectacle they needed to see," Pariah calmly explained.

Unified? What was Pariah talking about? Pariah must have noticed his confused expression because it leaned forward slightly, squinting at him. "Think," it commanded.

What was the connection here? Why would Pariah need to distract the Evolved while it unified them? The most logical explanation was that whatever Pariah was doing, the Evolved weren't on board. Unification without consent? Was it brainwashing them? Or—

He froze, eyes widening as he realized it. "You were taking control of them," he breathed. The tiny, almost undetectable, nod that Pariah gave him was all the confirmation he needed. Pariah had been creating puppets out of the Evolved even while he was fighting it. While the Evolved were busy watching them fight, Pariah had been turning them into its puppets.

"They would have seen, would have reacted," Pariah explained in an emotionless tone. "Had to keep the fight interesting. Chose a weaker body, made sure it was relatively even with you. This way was easier, cleaner. Evolved were too focused on you, didn't notice when I began unifying them. Less resistance. More efficiency."

Its sentences were becoming shorter and choppier; a possible sign of impatience. This was bad. Pariah had played him, _used _him, and now that it had what it wanted, he was all that stood between it and world domination.

And it seemed as though Pariah had had enough of him.

Pariah's army began advancing. They were slow at first, but the Evolved were quickly picking up speed as they moved. Alex cursed under his breath and leapt into the air. The ground beneath him erupted in a chorus of screams and shrieks as the Infected attacked, jumping into the air right after him. Not even a second later, dozens of Whipfists were flying at him at high speeds. At least seven of them found their mark, stopping Alex right in the air before yanking him back down. The combined strength of the various Evolved under Pariah's control was simply too much for Alex, and he found himself plummeting to the ground.

He landed with a crash, bodies piling on top of him the second he was still. He grunted as he activated his Musclemass power before lashing out, throwing off as many bodies as he could. His Armor stopped several attacks, which bounced off him without reaching the softer biomass beneath, but when a Hunter's clawed hand came crashing into his back, the Armor wasn't enough to stop it.

The hit sent Alex rolling across the street, landing on his face and chest while his legs bent forward from the momentum that still carried them. Alex sprang to his feet as fast as he could, instantly locking eyes onto the nearest threat.

_I'm outnumbered by too much here. I can't fight all of them, not even if I take it one at a time. _

He leapt away again, his Armor melding back into his body for the increase in speed he so desperately needed before he began running. The army of Infected flocked after him, their actions possessing unnatural coordination. Alex hissed in frustration. Pariah was commanding all of them at once, granting them the ability to attack as a unit. If Pariah had control over the rest of the city, he didn't have long. He had to think of something fast.

But what could he do? Escaping with his life was beyond optimistic—it was nearly impossible for him to do so. He had to face reality; he wasn't leaving this place alive. At most, he needed to expose Pariah, to get the attention of the humans and make sure they knew what was coming.

He sprang out of the way of a pair of Hunters as they both crashed into the ground he had been running along. He took notice of the tentacles that were rising out of the street.

_There must be some sort of mass viral entity under the city. Pariah must have an entire network of biomass spread under the ground. If attaching itself to a host allows it to take control, Pariah probably sent tendrils out from beneath the Evolved while they were watching us fight. _

Infected Vision wouldn't show him anything. There was too much viral matter covering the buildings and streets to get an accurate reading of what could possibly be underground.

He dove to the ground as he slid under the legs of a Juggernaut Hunter that had been moving to block him. A quick glance over his shoulder told him that Pariah's army was still pursuing him, but Pariah itself was nowhere in sight. Infected were moving in from all around him, not only from behind. He could see them tumbling off rooftops and out of windows as they moved to intercept him, which only forced him to run faster.

_The fuck am I supposed to do?! I'm the only thing in the city Pariah hasn't taken control of and—shit, does it have control of anything OUTSIDE the city? How far does its influence reach?!_

This was getting worse and worse, and the constant problems and scenarios that flowed through his head were making it all the more difficult to form a plan. He dodged a car that had been flung at him by one of the mindless Evolved, but failed to notice the Flyers gathering in the air. It wasn't until he heard their familiar shriek that Alex's head snapped up, just in time to see one of them rapidly approaching him.

Alex ducked, barely avoiding the mutated talons that reached for his head. Something grabbed the back of his jacket as he straightened out, yanking him back. Alex grunted as he was forced to a stop, his limbs swinging forwards from the momentum of his running. He lashed out on instinct, his fist violently connecting with the neck of a hollow-eyed Evolved that had its hand grasped firmly around his jacket. The mindless creature was sent flying, and Alex scrambled to his feet, but by then, other enemies had caught up.

A Hunter tackled him, sending them both to the ground. Mind control or not, the Hunters were still furious fighters. Alex grunted as the massive weight landed on top of him, shortly before the twisted jaws of the mutant clamped down on his shoulder. He kicked out with his right leg, hitting the Hunter's chest, but not hard enough. He growled and drove his knee into its throat, causing its jaws to drop as it roared. Alex landed on all fours and was off in a flash, shoving through the crowds of enemies that tried to stop him.

Claws and Blades would nick him, cutting into his flesh, and the occasional Hammerfist would find its way to his arm or leg, causing him to trip and stumble, or to just lose balance entirely.

And Pariah had yet to make a move of its own.

_This is insanity! I need to think of something QUICK, before Pariah decides to finish me off! Come on, come on, what could I use to get the humans' attention?! All eyes need to be on New York, and Pariah needs to be exposed to the military at the very least. _

What would the military be on the lookout for? Enemy communications? Enemy missiles? Foreign aircraft and vehicles? Incoming bombs?

There probably weren't any reliable means of radio communications located in what was left of the city, and he wasn't going to find any working missiles or aircraft lying around, and locating a working military vehicle wouldn't get him the attention he needed. A normal bomb wouldn't be large enough—the explosion would have to be powerful enough to create a mushroom cloud large enough to alert nearby people, but the local human population was long gone, either because they were dead or evacuated. Nothing short of a nuclear bomb would—

Alex's eyes widened and he inhaled sharply, nearly making the mistake of stopping in his tracks as Aleister's words rang through his head.

_ "The weapon Blackwatch created was a nuclear bomb. However, this one was unique in that it spread a massive cloud of this new Bloodtox. None of the Infected caught in the blast of such a weapon would have survived."_

"The Bloodtox bomb," he breathed. That was it. That was it! The bomb! It was his last chance, it was his _only_ chance! Ares knew of the bomb, knew where it was located! Pariah had Evolved working on the thing day and night, trying to dismantle it. Their goal was to repurpose the bomb to spread the virus, rather than poison it!

But they had yet to do that. If Ares' memories were true, the bomb was still functional, and still very much an anti-Infected weapon. The Evolved that were working on it hadn't been able to repurpose the Bloodtox inside it—they didn't have enough time!

And where would Pariah keep the only weapon capable of harming it? Right in its lap, where only those who entered the city could find it.

So that left him with an unstable, half-demolished nuclear bomb filled with an anti-Infected substance. And he knew where it was.

And he knew what he had to do with it.

**Explanations/Clarifications**

** Super Pariah: Alright, so this is the part where I explain why I made Pariah so powerful. Let's start with the basic logic; look at how powerful Alex Mercer became by the end of [Prototype]. The events in that game took place over the course of a month, if I remember correctly (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Now look how powerful James Heller became by the end of [Prototype 2]. That game took place over the course of a few days (again, correct me if I'm wrong). This story takes place over 40 **_**years**_** after the events at Hope, Idaho. Pariah has existed for almost half a century, and it has been evolving and changing. Making it insanely powerful was the only thing I could bring myself to do. Anything less wouldn't do it justice. **


	59. Chapter 59

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: There's a short A/N at the end of this chapter. Read it. Please. **

**Chapter 59**

**The Bomb**

Alex skidded to a stop, whirling around as the Infected raced to catch him. Unfortunately for him, the bomb was on the other side of the city, if Ares' memories were true. That meant that the only thing that stood between him and the bomb was over half the Infected in the city. It was only a manner of time before the rest of Pariah's puppets came to assist their brethren.

He didn't have much time.

Alex charged, running straight into the crowd of Infected that was rapidly approaching him. His Blade formed on his right arm, and a Whipfist warped into existence on his left. His motions were smooth and practiced, evidence of both natural talent and experience, but they couldn't match the flawless teamwork of the Infected. He knew and understood this, so outmaneuvering them and relying on sheer skill and speed wouldn't save him.

The only real advantage he had over them was strength. For all of Pariah's influence, it seemed as though it couldn't physically strengthen all of its puppets.

_But that doesn't mean that it didn't supercharge a few of them…I'll have to be careful about that…_

They were almost upon him, their fastest and strongest moving ahead of those that were weaker and more fragile. Alex prepared his Blade, readying himself for the first strike. The Infected that ran ahead of all the others was a lone Evolved, his arms outstretched with a pair of Claws reaching out to grab Alex.

He idly wondered who this Evolved had been before Pariah had corrupted him, who he had been before he was turned into a flesh-eating monster.

The thoughts were shoved out of his mind as the Evolved gave a final lurch, bursting forth with his Claws fanned out. Alex roared as he swung his Blade, the weapon's superior range cutting down the Evolved before he could reach Alex. Before the first Evolved was even down, Alex had already begun lashing out with his Whipfist, cutting through ranks of Infected as they approached.

He immediately leapt into the air, forming a pair of Shields to deflect both the incoming Whipfists from below and the Flyers diving at him from above. Both the talons of the Flyers and the bladed tips of the Whipfists crashed against his Shields, forcing his arms to bend slightly in response to the force exerted upon them.

He growled as his arms shot out, violently shoving away the Whipfists and talons to make room for him. He spun in the air, aiming himself for a landing. With a little fancy Shield work, he managed to deflect the majority of the attacks directed at him, and save for a few stray cuts, he made it through without any injuries. He landed with a crash, his body working faster than ever before to repair the injuries so that he could move without hindrance.

He dodged and weaved to the best of his ability, avoiding or blocking the majority of the strikes aimed at him. Throughout his run, he lost track of how many times he had taken a hit that sent him to the ground or stumbling into the arms of a waiting Infected. Throughout it all, however, Alex managed to pry his way out of the clutches of his enemy and continued running.

It may have helped that he wasn't trying to fight back, but just to keep moving.

Alex drove his Hammerfist into the skull of a charging Hunter before slamming his foot into an Evolved's neck, bending it at an awkward angle. Both the Hunter and the Evolved were forced out of his way, clearing a short distance for him to move through.

_What do I do if Pariah catches on?_

…

_Shit! I shouldn't have suddenly cut back and ran through the crowd! Now Pariah will be suspicious of me!_

But at the same time, he understood that delaying the detonation of the bomb could prevent him from doing it at all. Slowly leading the Infected around the city while he looked for the bomb would have taken too much time—he had no choice but to cut back and force his way through them.

_If Pariah intervenes, I'll just have to find a way to get around it and at the bomb. That thing HAS to go off, or else this is over. _

He understood that this was his last chance. Pariah wouldn't make any more mistakes for him to exploit. Leaving the bomb in the city was the only thing Alex could use against Pariah at this point, and if he failed to do that, it would be all over.

Pariah would have won, and humanity would fall.

Alex's arms twitched and grew as he activated his Musclemass power. At this point, he was jumping off rooftops and walls to avoid the Infected masses that crawled along seemingly every surface. Hunters clung to the walls as they charged while the lesser Infected stayed mostly on the ground. The Evolved were split between the ground and the rooftops, which left the walls as the safest place to run.

Of course, running along a single surface wouldn't keep him alive for long. He needed to change constantly. And change he did.

Alex leapt from the wall he had been running along, flying towards a rooftop. His hand shot out, grasping the edge of the building before he hauled himself onto it. His feet were already moving by the time they came into contact with the flesh-covered rooftop, setting the hooded Prototype back into motion without breaking fluidity. He immediately spotted several Evolved along the rooftops, and this was only what he saw directly in front of him.

He didn't want to look back.

He charged forwards, leaping from one rooftop to the next. The Evolved would be far less efficient in combat when in the air than when on ground, so he had to make use of it. He aimed his jumps towards the slowest Evolved, and on occasion, into the smallest groups.

The Flyers overhead would dive down occasionally, swooping in with outstretched talons and bloodcurdling shrieks. They were easy to slap away, given their light weight and smaller size compared to the walking Infected, but the Evolved were relentless. Whipfists and objects flew at him during every second he spent on the rooftops, and more than once, Evolved would pounce at him with their Claws fanned out and ready to rip him apart.

And Pariah was still missing.

_Where could it be? It didn't seem like the type to toy with its enemies, so there must be a reason its hanging back…_

When Alex spotted the Hunters bounding across buildings to get to him, he decided it was time for a change of scenery. He dove off the rooftop, flying straight into the ground. He bent his legs as he landed, rolling to keep his momentum. He came up in a flash, already sprinting as he made his way to the one thing that could stop Pariah.

The bomb wasn't too far away now. He only had to get to it and find a way to detonate it before Pariah could get to him. Once he had a way to set the nuke off, he could work on his next move; that is, assuming he'd be able to get anything done at that point.

_Still, with all the time the Evolved spent dismantling it, they did manage to destabilize it. Setting it off shouldn't be TOO much of a problem, but getting to it is a different story. For all I know, Pariah has some more Infected guarding the thing. If I were in its position, I certainly wouldn't leave such a powerful weapon unguarded. _

It did occur to him that some of Pariah's most powerful followers may be guarding the bomb, but at this point, he didn't have much of a choice besides forcing his way through. He had come to the simple conclusion that if there was another way, he wouldn't be able to think of a plan in time.

Fighting what could be the single most powerful individual on Earth makes it rather hard to think at times.

Alex glanced at one of the many hundreds of tentacles rising from the ground. The massive viral outgrowths had sprung up everywhere when Pariah had revealed its twisted, childlike form. Now they reached for the sky, a constant reminder that something massive could exist beneath the city.

_Great, another thing to worry about; possible giant Infected beneath the city…_

Another Hunter was approaching him. He could hear the hulking Infected approaching from a mile away. Unfortunately, asking for a mile between them was too much. Alex glanced over his shoulder at the Hunter that had quickly overtaken the other Infected. It was larger than the rest of the pack, and it took him less than a second to realize that it was a Leader Hunter.

The large strides pushed it beyond the abilities of the other Infected, and Alex realized with a start that it was actually gaining on him. His eyes widened, seeing as the last time he was in a foot chase with a Leader Hunter, he had been running circles around it. And now, here it was, actually gaining on him.

He needed a way to speed up his movements. He needed—

An Evolved tackled him from the front, eliciting a grunt from him. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground, wrestling with a dark-haired woman. A pair of slender Blades dung into his sides, and he was vaguely away aware of the crushing sound made by the massive limbs of the Leader Hunter.

With a heave, he shoved the Evolved off him, just in time to roll away from the massive Claws of the Leader Hunter as it clammed into the ground where he had been moments ago. A bit of quick footwork led him out of range from the Leader Hunter, and he was moving again.

But the beast was just as fast.

A pair of clamping jaws narrowly missed the back of his jacket, and Alex was forced to jump onto the wall of a nearby building, running alongside it. Alex hissed in anger as the Leader Hunter slammed into the building, pawing its way up until it was once again gaining on him. Alex kept running in a diagonal line, moving both forward and upward. Soon, he was on the roof of the building, and finally, _finally_, he could see it:

The building in which the bomb was.

An unfamiliar feeling filled him: hope. He could see his objective, the thing he had been searching for was finally coming into view. He pushed himself further than he ever had before, moving as fast as he could to outrun the Leader Hunter, and he was succeeding! The distance between him and the creature was growing. In fact, he was beginning to outrun the rest of the Infected!

And then the rational part of his mind took over.

He wasn't outrunning the Infected, they were _slowing down_. In less than a second, the hope was gone, replaced by dread and confusion. The Infected were all controlled by Pariah, so if they were collectively slowing down, that meant Pariah had ordered them to. And why would it do that?

Alex skidded to a stop, clenching his teeth in frustration.

There, a couple hundred meters in front of him, stood Pariah, arms crossed and eyes narrowed as it blocked his path. The tentacles reaching from its back still dug into the ground for reasons he couldn't understand, but the numerous tendrils that had sprouted from its other limbs were gone.

And there, behind it, stood the building that held Alex's only hope. He swallowed when he saw it, a rush of memories returning to him in an instant. It was the Gentek building—the same one he had escaped from so long ago, back when he first woke up. The bomb was in that building. Below it, to be specific. The hidden subterranean floor that this building possessed housed the only weapon capable of stopping Pariah.

And Pariah was standing in front of it.

It was an odd feeling for him, a new one. To finally experience hope, only to have it torn away in the blink of an eye. He usually wasn't in a position where he was completely outclassed.

Helplessness of this level was not something Alex Mercer had ever experienced.

Pariah walked forward, the tentacles that sprouted from its back extending as it moved. Alex stood still, desperately trying to figure out how to get around Pariah and into the building. If the bomb was far enough underground, the force of the explosion could be directed upwards, rather than outwards. That would be a problem, seeing as Pariah's army wasn't exactly airborne.

He'd need to get the bomb out of the building.

"Did you seriously believe you'd make it to the building?" Pariah asked. "I can see the way you look at it—you know what's inside, and you want to use it. Did you honestly believe I'd let you? That I'd forget about the weapon hidden there?"

_I should have seen this coming… _

"ZEUS, I have already explained this to you," Pariah began. "You have lost. Accept your defeat and assimilate."

_Even its patience is inhuman. How much has the virus warped that kid? How could a child be turned into something like this?_

It was a stupid question and he knew it. Still, the idea of a boy—a mere child—being twisted and changed by the virus to this degree was…outrageous. Even though this creature was almost half a century old, it was still once a little boy. And even back then, it had already become a devourer of men.

And now here it was, his greatest adversary, ready to devour _him_.

_Consumed by a Prototype…I guess this is what people would call karma. _

Pariah was calmly approaching him, though Alex knew that it was preparing for a final fight. He needed to find a way around it. Going through it wasn't possible at this point; defeating this Infected was a feat beyond his abilities. No, fighting Pariah wasn't an option. He needed to find a loophole, something to fit through. Then, all he'd need to do was drag the bomb out of the building. A ludicrous thought at first, but the bomb itself wasn't that heavy compared to the tanks Alex was capable of throwing around.

So Pariah was the only problem.

Alex bent his knees, his mind working overtime to find any possible flaws in his opponent's new form. It may have been smaller, but he didn't believe for a second that it was any weaker. On the contrary, he had to assume that it was both stronger and faster than the body he had fought earlier.

And then there were the tentacles growing from its back. What were those for? What did they connect to? What twisted anomaly did Pariah fuse itself to? The questions kept coming, and unfortunately, so did Pariah. The distance between them was growing smaller, and Pariah's movements were becoming quicker.

_Think of something, think of something, fucking THINK OF SOMETHING!_

Too late. Pariah charged, leaping forward as the tentacles growing from its back extended. Alex dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding a kick that crushed the rooftop he had been standing on. The moment he landed on the ground, he felt a Whipfist burrow into his shoulder before he was jerked back and away from the Gentek building. Before he knew it, he was being thrown across the ground until Pariah stood between him and the building once more.

Alex was on his feet faster than Pariah could even retract its Whipfist. His icy eyes narrowed at Pariah as he studied it, desperately trying to find some way he could get past it.

_If it gets desperate, it could call in more Infected for backup. Am I seriously going to fail after getting this close? After coming so far? _

Pariah was flying through the air at him almost faster than he could register. With a sharp inhale of air, Alex found himself on the receiving end of Pariah's Hammerfist as it sent him flying through the air and into a nearby building. The hooded Prototype was already beginning to stand the moment he stopped moving, but by then, the building was shaking.

Cursing under his breath, Alex jumped out of the window, watching as massive spikes rose from the ground around and under the building, destabilizing and knocking the structure over. He noticed Pariah lifting its Hammerfists off the ground.

_It's not going to play around this time. It's going to go all out any second now, and when it does, I'll have seconds left to act before it kills me. Come on, think! I need something, anything to distract it long enough to get past it!_

Anything would do. He'd literally settle for anything at this point. As long as it got Pariah off his back long enough for him to get to the bomb, he'd be happy with it.

Pariah rose up, its red eyes beginning to glow all the brighter.

He had seconds before it attacked him. He needed something, _now_.

It bent its knees, bringing its arm around as it prepared to jump at him.

He needed time. It wasn't going to give him any.

It leapt at him.

He was out of time.

Pariah's Hammerfist slammed into Alex's chest in a brutal uppercut, sending him flying into the air.

If only he could regurgitate something to distract it. But right now, he didn't have any Infected stored within him. There was nothing to throw up. Unless…

A Whipfist slammed into his midsection, ripping through him with ease as Pariah yanked him back down.

He'd need perfect timing to pull this off. Every second would count, and if this failed, he was truly and totally dead.

He crashed onto Pariah's outstretched Blade, the weapon punching straight through his neck.

Could he really do this? Could he really pull this off?

It threw him over its shoulder, slamming him into the ground as it raised its newly-formed Claws over its head.

Yes…yes he _could _do this. He had done it once before, and he could do it again. He'd need to keep his memories intact and make sure that he'd have enough biomass to move after it was over.

Pariah began shredding his chest with its Claws, tearing into him with vile savagery.

His opportunity was almost here. He couldn't miss it—even a second too early or too late and he was done for.

Pariah lifted him off the ground, its Claws wrapping around his head as it plunged its free hand into his chest.

Almost…

Tentacles began reaching from Alex's body and wrapping around Pariah's arm as his biomass began moving, gravitating towards Pariah.

It was consuming him.

Pariah's eyes lost their pupils, becoming red, soulless orbs. Red veins began forming around its eyes as they stretched across its face, then neck, and then proceeded to crawl across its entire body.

Almost…

Tentacles erupted around its body, writing with speed that no living creature could match.

Now!

Alex felt himself detach. The biomass that made up the surface of his body was melting away faster than he was healing, and Pariah was growing before his eyes, evolving into something beyond a Prototype. Alex felt his DNA being ripped from him, and tentacles writhed around his body as his literal form was stolen from him. His clothing and face melted away, leaving a twisted mass of red and black tentacles.

But at that moment, he tore himself away from Pariah, the majority of those tentacles clamping around its body as they were absorbed. What little was left of Alex's body began reforming, but by then he was already moving. He could feel the biomass winding around the surface of what was left of him, twisting and intertwining as it wove complex patterns until it began forming into skin, and then clothing.

He may have lost the closest thing he had to his own body, but that didn't matter. He still had his memories, still understood his objective, and he could still move.

Alex dashed forwards, right past Pariah's writhing form as the twisted creature devoured whatever DNA it had picked up from him. He didn't have long—Pariah would finish transforming fast, and then it would take a few seconds to try and comprehend what had just happened and why it didn't have his memories.

It would come check on the bomb the moment it was done. And if he wasn't done by then, it was all over.

As he ran, he noticed his reflection in a piece of broken glass. Time seemed to slow down as Alex took in the grey eyes and silver hair that had replaced his usual face.

He was once again in the body of Siren Mercer.

The moment was broken as he sprinted past the piece of glass, charging directly into the Gentek building. With no time to spare, Alex got to work, raising his newly-formed Hammerfists high over his head before slamming them down on the floor. It gave away without too much effort, and the floor caved in before his eyes. He knew the Evolved neglected to reinforce the floor to make it easier to remove the bomb later—most likely by destroying the floor and hoisting the nuke out—and now, the weak floor was doing exactly that: making the bomb removable.

And there it was. The room below was far larger than the floor he was standing on, easily extending past the limits it was originally built with. Machines lined the wall, wires reaching out into the center of the underground room.

And there it was. The bomb. His last hope.

He jumped down into the floor, activating his Musclemass power. He landed by the side of the large, cylindrical bomb, placing his hands on the grey metal coating. And among that torn and dismantled coating, there was a part of the bomb that had yet to be touched: a large screen.

In true Blackwatch fashion, the bomb was linked to a timer.

And Pariah had been the one to set the password. And it had never told anybody.

Luckily for Alex, Ares didn't ask when he cracked the code.

In took him a few seconds, but Alex punched in the password as fast as his fingers could, and when he saw the numbers appear, he felt the closest thing he could have to having his heart speed up.

Thirty seconds.

The timer began beeping.

He needed to get the bomb out of the building.

Alex lifted up the weapon, jumping up to the next floor with the nuke in tow. He set it down momentarily, allowing his Hammerfists to form on his arms as he dashed forwards, slamming into the wall. After a series of punches, he created a hole in the wall large enough to pull the bomb through.

This was it. He was going to do it!

He turned around and sprinted for the bomb, grabbing and dragging it out with him into the open. He checked the timer.

Eighteen seconds.

A shriek echoed out from behind him.

Seventeen seconds.

Alex whirled around, only to see a red and black blur slam into him, knocking him to the ground. Pariah stood over him, red, glowing veins covering its entire body as it drew back its fist.

For the first time since he met it, Alex saw an emotion in Pariah's eyes: fury.

And then it heard the beeping.

They both looked to the bomb. Fourteen seconds.

Pariah registered what was happening almost immediately. It jumped off Alex and sprinted to the bomb. Eyes widening, Alex jumped after it, grabbing one of the tentacles growing from Pariah's back. He yanked with all his might, but to his horror, it barely made a difference. However, what little difference it did make slowed Pariah down slightly.

Eleven seconds.

Pariah whirled around, shooting a Whipfist into Alex's chest. It hauled him over its head, throwing him to the other side of the bomb.

Eight seconds. And Pariah was beginning to punch in the code.

Alex jumped up, activating his Tendrils power. He shot several tendrils into Pariah's face, blocking its eyes and obscuring its vision.

Six seconds.

Alex yanked himself forwards using the tendrils attached to Pariah's face. It tore them off before he could reach it, but now, he was practically right behind Pariah.

Four seconds.

Pariah's hands shot to the screen, its fingers beginning to punch in the code required to stop the bomb. Alex lurched forwards, grabbing at Pariah's head and neck as it attempted to reverse the process that would put an end to its empire. In a fit of rage, Pariah grabbed Alex, slamming him against the bomb and plunging a hand into his chest.

It yanked its hand out, pulling along a massive chunk of dark biomass with it. Alex's eyes widened as his world began turning black. In one strike, Pariah had somehow yanked out and consumed enough biomass to knock him unconscious.

_To be able to consume a living creature in a split second like that…incredible…_

Alex glanced at the screen as his body began falling.

One second. And Pariah was less than halfway done with the code.

Alex gave a weak grin.

Pariah punched in the second to last digit.

Zero.

Shortly before Alex's vision turned dark, his world exploded into brilliant white light.

**A/N: Next chapter (yes, there's an epilogue—a short one) will explain why I chose the ending that I chose. If you feel the need to comment on my choice of conclusions, feel free, but please, avoid spoilers, or at least leave a warning. I don't want the story spoiled for a newer reviewer. **


	60. Chapter 60

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SERIES/COVER ART INVOLVED WITH THIS STORY.

**WARNING: Reviews are refusing to show up on my screen when I check for them, so if you left a review with a question and I never got back to you, it's because of the technical difficulties right now. Weird stuff is going on here, and I'm trying to sort through it all.**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:** **As I stated last chapter, today's Explanations/Clarifications includes my reasons for the ending that I presented last chapter. It also includes my plans for the future and closing thoughts for this story. So, with that being said, enjoy the final chapter of A Certain Sapient Virus.**

**Epilogue**

Accelerator sat down with a sigh, bringing the cold drink up to his lips and taking a sip. Countless other espers were scattered about on the grass around him, each breathing heavily and resting up after the countless hours of work they had been put through. He was more than capable of dealing with just about anything the world could throw at him, but fighting armies of zombies—some of which looked like elephant-sized pink gorillas—for hours with limited breaks could take its toll.

Nearly five weeks had passed since his return to Academy City. Nearly five weeks since the fight to retake the city had truly begun. Prior to that, survivors were forced to huddle together while some of the most powerful espers remaining in the city faced off against the psychopath that had brought the Infected with him.

And through all that, he wasn't allowed to remain in the city. It infuriated him to no end that he was just told to pack up and leave, but ultimately, things ended up working out. Not without loss, of course, but Academy City had been put to the test, and it had come out victorious.

And then there was New York. News traveled fast when nuclear bombs were involved.

The whole story was clouded with lies, conspiracy theories, panicked American citizens, and countries pointing fingers, but the basic concept was still understood; a nuclear bomb had gone off in New York.

If anyone was in there, they didn't make it out alive.

It was odd, however, to note that it wasn't necessarily the biggest current event—at least, not in Japan. Here, Academy City was what everyone was talking about. Those in the city were reconnecting with families, and word was spreading rapidly. Accelerator didn't know how the world would respond to the news of a zombie virus, but he knew changes would be made, and more fingers would be pointed. The bomb in New York wasn't exactly common knowledge among the people of Japan at the moment, but a select few understood its significance.

Accelerator, for example, understood that New York had been the final destination of a certain shape shifting teenager.

Accelerator sighed and hung his head.

_What a fucking mess. And here we are, cleaning it up and picking up the pieces of what's left. _

Ever since he had been told that he should return, he had been hard at work along with the rest of Academy City's espers clearing out the Infected. Anti-Skill was pitching in, helping out in any way they could while evacuating civilians. While the Infected were being cleared off, that didn't necessarily make the place safe. In fact, the hospital was the only place where soldiers and espers alike were allowed to take off the protective gear that they had to wear.

Outside the protected hospital, however, everyone was required to wear gas masks and specialized clothing. The city was no longer willing to take any risks with the virus, and they were pulling out all the stops in order to ensure nobody else was infected.

"Wonder how the brat's doin'," Accelerator muttered. She hadn't been allowed to stick by him because she'd only be a liability, and despite the fact that it annoyed him, he was inclined to agree. The city, despite being well on its way towards recovery, was still far from safe for children. She wasn't nearly as helpless as others her age, but allowing her into the city still put her at risk.

He noticed several espers standing to go back out into the field. There were enough of them left to go out in groups, so everyone came to rest at different times. Accelerator's group had only recently returned from a trip through the city that involved a dozen skirmishes with the Infected, but the group standing was on its way back out.

Accelerator fell back with a sigh, spreading his arms out and lying on the grass.

***Page Break***

Mikoto wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her arm as she waited for the call to go through. She had her cell phone up to her ear, patiently waiting as the phone let out a dull ring as it attempted to connect to the person Mikoto had called.

For several seconds, no answer came. Shortly after Mikoto contemplated hanging up, however, she heard someone pick up the phone. "Hello?" asked an all-too-familiar voice. Mikoto grinned upon hearing her friend speaking.

"Kuroko, hey, it's Mikoto," she began.

"Onee-sama!" Kuroko cried happily. "How are you? How are things going in the city? How is—"

Mikoto tuned her out for a second as the stream of questions poured through the phone. At the moment, she was resting in the protected hospital, waiting to be called back out into the field. Kuroko, unfortunately, had yet to fully heal from her injuries, and when citizens were first being evacuated five weeks ago, she had been ever worse. As a result, Kuroko had ended up going with countless others as they escaped the city, while Mikoto stayed behind to help.

"Heh, everything's going good so far," Mikoto said with a small smile. "There have been a few issues here and there, along with the occasional injury and, sadly, the occasional casualty, but other than that, things are looking up."

Kuroko gave a sigh of relief from her end of the line. "Onee-sama, you have no clue how glad I am to hear that," she breathed. Mikoto giggled at her friend's words before she asked a question of her own.

"How are the others? Index, Touma, Mikoro?"

"Oh they're doing fine," Kuroko answered. "Touma and Index especially. They've been really optimistic about the whole situation. Mikoro was…depressed, for some time. She's getting better, but I think it may be a little while until she's completely over…you know…Siren."

Mikoto sighed. "She'll move on eventually. We all lost someone we cared about throughout that entire nightmare, but we can't let it weigh us down. Mikoro will come to realize that sooner or later."

"Yeah," Kuroko responded before she continued on in a more cheerful tone. "On the bright side, the survivors who have made it out of the city have finally begun to truly relax. The first several weeks saw everybody getting together with their most trusted friends and sticking to each other while watching their backs after every step they take. It was crazy how paranoid and anxious they were, but it's hard to blame them after what happened."

"And now they're finally daring to believe that the whole nightmare is over," Mikoto finished with more than a little gladness in her voice. "I'm happy to hear that, Kuroko."

"Hey, kid," called a male voice. Mikoto turned around to see an Anti-Skill soldier gesturing for her to come over. She gave him a quick nod before returning her attention to Kuroko.

"Sorry, duty calls," she said sheepishly. "I've got to get going. I'll see you around, Kuroko. Get well soon!"

"Goodbye, Onee-sama!" Kuroko replied happily. "Stay safe out there!"

"I will, thanks!" Mikoto finished while hanging up. She shoved the cell phone into her pocket before jumping up from the bench she had been sitting on. A quick stretch warmed up her muscles, and soon after, she was on her way back into the fray to fight the Infected.

She was on her way to retake her home.

***Page Break***

Aleister watched the video for what felt like the hundredth time since his drone recorded it. The screen depicted the twisted remains of a large American city, one that Aleister had become all too familiar with. For several seconds, nothing happened, and then a massive ball of expanding white light spread through the city as the nuclear bomb was set off.

Aleister watched with keen eyes, observing the city as it was obliterated. The drone he had sent to watch over the Infected when Alex had left had watched the events of the Prototype's battle unfold. And in its final moments before the blast from the bomb destroyed it, it had transmitted a video feed of the heart of the virus being destroyed. A second drone was on its way there now to observe what was left of the city and to check if any of the Infected had survived.

There was something, however, that would always remain in Aleister's memory: Pariah.

He hadn't managed to get a decent shot of the creature, but a little while before the bomb went off, tentacles had begun rising out of the city, and large, dark masses of moving bodies would flow through the city in unison. Aleister wasn't entirely sure what had happened, and he found himself wondering who had set off the bomb.

Had it been Alex? Had Pariah been too much for him to defeat? Had it been Pariah? Had Alex been too much for _it_ to defeat? He didn't know, and he disliked that. The ideal outcome was that they were both dead. Pariah had already gone insane from the virus, and it was only a matter of time before Alex followed in its footsteps.

Those two were easily the most dangerous individuals on Earth, and with them both gone, the world had two less monsters to worry about. Still, Blackwatch and Gentek lurked in the shadows, and Aleister wondered if they'd be foolish enough to create another virus or, inadvertently, another Prototype.

_I can't allow research and production of the virus to continue. It needs to be stopped, destroyed. Those children beat back Ares, and it seems as though both Alex and Pariah are gone. _

Aleister closed his eyes.

_It would seem as though the job of stopping Blackwatch and Gentek falls to me. _

**A/N: Well, here we are; the official ending to A Certain Sapient Virus. The epilogue was meant to show some of the points of view of the remaining characters as they work to restore the city, as well as to try and end on a happier note, rather than leave you guys with, 'the protagonist gets himself killed to stop the antagonist'. And I know that everybody says stuff like this, but I'm going to say it anyway: thank you to everyone for all your support. Everybody who has reviewed, followed, favorited, and PMed me have contributed to this story in their own way, and I'm very grateful that this story received the amount of attention that it did. Nobody wants to write a story if nobody reads it, right? Anyway, as promised, the following Explanations/Clarifications section will contain my reasons for choosing the ending that I did. Now, without further ado, the Explanations/Clarifications:**

** The Ending: As I stated earlier, Pariah has had plenty of time to evolve and grow. I toyed with many ideas about how I could end the story, but I eventually came to the conclusion that Pariah would have simply become too powerful for Alex to beat considering the short amount of time he actually had to evolve. Basically, he was never going to win. So unless I employed the use of plot armor or sent in reinforcements from Academy City (which would have turned into a 'friendship = power' moment), I wouldn't have been able to create a realistic reason for Pariah to lose. That left me with a few choices, the two most obvious being that Alex loses to Pariah, or that he finds a weapon that can destroy Pariah for him. Also, I believe that a protagonist's luck can't last forever. I've seen one too many shows where the main character is some sort of death-defying demigod who ends up squeezing his/her way out of harm's way, even in a situation that involves a gun pointing at their face from point blank range. Basically, these protagonists end up living through everything and constantly coming out on top. In my opinion, ending with the death of the main character—either because he/she was defeated by a more powerful person or otherwise—gives a story a better sense of finality. Now, that does NOT mean I'm going to end every story I ever bother writing with the death of the protagonist. That would get old very, very fast. **

** What's Next: To be honest, I'm not sure. A sequel is unlikely, but I've still got several ideas floating around my head—some of which are suggestions from you guys—and I'm not sure which one to pick. I'm also considering taking a short break from writing, but that's just a side thought. At the moment, I've got an idea that recently came to mind that I'm seriously considering, but I won't reveal it yet. No point in starting hype/anticipation for something that's not set in stone yet. Anyway, with that said, thank you once more to everyone who got involved with this story of mine, and I hope you enjoyed reading through it. This is Anti-Atom signing off. Laters!**


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